India AI Impact Summit 2026: $200B, Drama & Exit

New Delhi | February 20, 2026 — The India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam was intended to be a seamless showcase of India's technological dominance. Instead, it delivered a whirlwind of high-stakes investments, viral social awkwardness and a shocking last-minute exit by one of tech’s biggest icons.

The Big Exit: Bill Gates Cancels Amid Scrutiny

In a move that stunned delegates, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates cancelled his highly anticipated keynote address just hours before he was set to take the stage.

• The Reason: The Gates Foundation stated the withdrawal was to ensure the summit's "focus remains on key priorities."

• The Backdrop: This follows the recent release of U.S. Justice Department emails linking Gates’ past interactions with late financier Jeffrey Epstein. While Gates has consistently called the association a "mistake" and denied any wrongdoing, the fresh DOJ files from January 2026 reportedly intensified public pressure, leading to his abrupt absence.

• The Representation: Ankur Vora, the foundation’s Africa and India chief, stepped in to deliver the address in Gates’ stead.

The "AI Cold War" Goes Viral

Even without Gates, the list of tech royalty was full. But a moment of "unity" became an internet sensation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with Sam Altman of OpenAI and Dario Amodei of Anthropic, urged the leaders to raise their hands together.

The Awkward Gap: While others held hands together, Altman and Amodei, whose rivalry has escalated with Anthropic’s aggressive Super Bowl ads against OpenAI, held their raised fists apart, with an obvious physical gap between them. Altman later called the moment "confusing," while social media dubbed it the "AI Cold War."

Massive Wins: $200 Billion in Pledges

Despite the awkward moment, the summit was a financial behemoth for India’s AI infrastructure.

• Reliance Industries: Mukesh Ambani announced an astonishing $110 billion investment plan for AI.

• Tata Group: Confirmed a historic partnership with OpenAI to introduce localized AI solutions in the Indian market.

• The New Delhi Frontier AI Commitments: Leaders from Google, Meta, OpenAI and Anthropic signed a voluntary agreement to make sure AI development stays inclusive and multilingual, specifically designed for the Global South.

Chaos on the Ground: The "Robot Dog" Row

The incident was not without some organizational challenges.

The Galgotias Controversy:

The Galgotias University was asked to leave its pavilion after a staff member was accused of passing off a Chinese Unitree Go2 robotic dog as their own creation, "Orion." They later apologized for the incident, saying it was due to an "ill-informed" representative.

Traffic & Security:

Delegates and residents of Delhi reported traffic congestion and "locked exhibition halls" due to the movement of VIPS, prompting an apology from the government.

Novanectar Insight:

This summit has clearly shown that India is no longer a mere technology consumer but the main architect of technology. Nevertheless, the tension between world leaders and the organizational issues indicate that the way to "Sovereign AI" is as much about diplomacy as it is about code.