India is advancing towards AI-driven healthcare following the Delhi AI Summit, while also examining how social media influences mental health, including the rise of OCD.

Congress says the BJP’s allegations that the party paid influencers to malign the AI summit is a ‘fabricated’ story circulated by the BJP’s IT cell

An official business delegation comprising 23 innovative French companies visited India to launch the India–France Year of Innovation 2026 and participate in the India AI Impact Summit & Expo.

The Himachal Pradesh Police registered a kidnapping case against the Delhi Police personnel and “detained” their vehicles at the Shogi border near Shimla on February 25, 2026

India Champions Inclusive AI in Fight Against US, China Dominance  Bloomberg

Uday Bhanu Chib, the Congress youth wing chief, was arrested following a shirtless protest at an AI Summit, sparking strong political reactions from both the Congress and BJP.

Opposition backs praise for India AI Impact Summit but objects to BJP move to flag protest incident, calling the committee a forum for coordination, not confrontation

As India races to narrow the artificial intelligence gap with the United States and China, it is planning a vast new “data city” to power digital growth on a staggering scale, the man spearheading the project says. “The AI revolution is here, no second thoughts about it,” said Nara Lokesh, information technology minister for Andhra Pradesh state, which is positioning the city of Visakhapatnam as a cornerstone of India’s AI push. “And as a nation… we have taken a stand that we’ve got to embrace it,” he told AFP ahead of an international AI summit next week in New Delhi. Lokesh boasts the state has secured investment agreements of $175 billion involving 760 projects, including a $15bn investment by Google for its largest AI infrastructure hub outside the United States. And a joint venture between India’s Reliance Industries, Canada’s Brookfield and US firm Digital Realty is investing $11bn to develop an AI data centre in the same city. Visakhapatnam — home to around two million people and popularly known as “Vizag” — is better known for its cricket ground that hosts international matches than cutting-edge technology. But the southeastern port city is now being pitched as a landing point for submarine internet cables linking India to Singapore. “The data city is going to come in one ecosystem… with a 100 kilometre radius,” Lokesh said. For comparison, Taiwan is roughly 100km wide. ‘Whole nine yards’ Lokesh said the plan goes far beyond data connectivity, adding that his state had “received close to 25 per cent of all foreign direct investments” in India in 2025. “It’s not just about the data centres,” he explained while outlining a sweeping vision of change, with Andhra Pradesh offering land at one US cent per acre (three per hectare) for major investors. “I’m chasing the companies that make those servers that go sit in those data centres, the companies that make the entire air conditioning, the water-cooling system — the whole nine yards.” The 43-year-old, Stanford-educated minister is the son of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who helped turn Hyderabad into a major technology hub that is dubbed “Cyberabad”. They are allies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will host the AI Impact Summit from Monday. India is now third in a global AI power ranking — sitting above South Korea and Japan — based on more than 40 indicators from patents to private funding calculated by Stanford University’s Institute for Human-Centred AI. With more than a billion internet users, India has seen a surge of investment as generative AI players seek inroads to the world’s most populous country. Microsoft said in December it will invest $17.5bn to help build the country’s artificial intelligence infrastructure, with CEO Satya Nadella calling it the firm’s “largest investment ever in Asia”. But critics say India lags in access to high-end computing power or commercial AI deployment, and remains more a consumer than creator of the cutting-edge technology. Some question whether data centres will create meaningful employment when up and running, but Lokesh rejects that. “Every industrial revolution has always created more jobs than it has displaced,” he said. “But it has created those jobs in countries that have embraced the industrial revolution.” ‘Learned from China’ Lokesh argues that the jobs and economic benefits would more than compensate for the giveaway cost of land. He said the state government had accounted for the vast electricity and water demands for the energy-hungry industry, and would tap “surplus water” that drains into the Bay of Bengal to cool the massive data centres. “It’s a crime that so much water during monsoons goes into our oceans,” he said. He cited China as an inspiration — admiring how India’s rival had “been able to systematically bring people out of poverty” at speed. The state’s plan to create industrial clusters was something he had “learned from China”. With a target of six gigawatts of data centre capacity — three already signed and another three in the pipeline — Andhra Pradesh is betting that speed and scale will give it an edge. New Delhi last year agreed to “in-principle approval” for six 1.2 GW nuclear power plants at Kovvada in Andhra Pradesh. “We are on a journey,” Lokesh said. “We will execute these projects at a pace that the country has never seen”.

The Congress condemns the arrest of Youth Congress leaders, alleges that family members of Youth Congress workers are harassed. PM Modi had called Youth Congress leaders’ ‘shirtless’ protest at the Delhi AI summit ‘naked politics’ and said that it was shameful.

A semi-naked protest by the Youth Congress at the AI Summit has become a political liability for the main Congress party, exacerbating tensions with its INDIA Bloc allies.

Police have made a fifth arrest in connection with a 'shirtless protest' staged at an AI Summit, and the Indian Youth Congress National President has been summoned for questioning.

Delhi Police arrested Jitendra Yadav in Gwalior, marking the fifth arrest in connection with the Youth Congress protest at the AI Impact Summit. The protest, described by a court as a "blatant assault on public order," involved displaying T-shirts with slogans against the government and a trade deal, leading to a scuffle with security.

PM Modi on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the Congress for “dirty and naked” politics over the AI Summit protest by Indian Youth Congress workers.

PCC president alleges AI Summit mismanagement and says Centre’s decisions hurt farmers and dented national prestige

More than a hundred prominent academics from universities and research institutions across the country have issued a strongly worded joint statement, criticising the Indian Youth Congress protest at the India AI Impact Summit

The declaration argues that “robust digital infrastructure and meaningful and affordable connectivity".

Opposition leaders and Congress allies have criticised the Indian Youth Congress's "semi-nude" protest at the AI Impact Summit, deeming it inappropriate and shameful on an international stage. Around 10 IYC workers were detained for raising slogans against PM Modi, wearing T-shirts with controversial slogans, sparking widespread condemnation for tarnishing the country's image.

BJP staged nationwide protests after Indian Youth Congress workers disrupted the India AI Impact Summit, displaying slogans against PM Modi. Four IYC leaders were arrested. BJP workers also showed black flags to Rahul Gandhi in Mumbai, accusing the Congress of an 'anti-national' act and demanding an apology for the 'shameful' summit disruption.

BJP workers protested Rahul Gandhi in Mumbai with black flags following an Indian Youth Congress demonstration at the AI Summit in New Delhi. IYC workers, protesting against Prime Minister Modi, were detained after briefly disrupting the summit. BJP leaders accused Congress and Rahul Gandhi of orchestrating the disruption.

Prime Minister Modi's chaotic AI summit showcased both India's growing influence in technology and the inherent constraints it faces.

OpenAI's Sam Altman and Anthropic's Dario Amodei reportedly shared an awkward moment at a major AI summit in India, highlighting the competitive landscape of the AI industry.

Today's market news includes insights from Cohen on American capitalism and Bill Gates' absence from India's AI summit, among other key developments.

OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Anthropic’s Dario Amodei had an awkward moment at a major AI summit, with the two CEOs of competing AI giants opting not to link hands.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged the global community at the AI Impact Summit to leverage technological disruption as humanity's greatest opportunity, emphasizing "right action" guided by "right understanding." The summit also saw the country's nameplate displayed as "Bharat," a recurring practice at official global events, sparking renewed discussion.

Galgotias University issued an apology after misrepresenting a commercially available robotic dog as its own innovation at the AI Impact Summit 2026.

French President Emmanuel Macron delivered a speech at an AI summit held in New Delhi, India.

A sessions court has stayed the bail granted by a magistrate court to Chib, a protester involved in an incident at an AI summit, calling it a 'rare and exceptional case'.

Youth Congress chief Uday Bhanu Chib has been granted bail following a 'shirtless' protest, resolving a specific legal and political incident.

A political dispute has escalated in India over alleged paid content targeting an AI Summit, with the Indian National Congress issuing legal warnings that led to video takedowns, while the Bharatiya Janata Party maintained its stance.

An AI Summit discussed the emerging era of AI agents, examining both the potential benefits and concerns regarding their impact, including on fields like journalism.

A protest at the India AI Summit has now snowballed into an interstate police standoff between Delhi and Himachal Pradesh. The controversy began after Congress activists staged a “shirtless” protest

A court has extended the police custody of Youth Congress workers by four days following a shirtless protest staged at an AI summit.

The BJP has accused the Congress youth wing of acting under Rahul Gandhi's direction at an AI Summit.

The Malabar Cancer Centre's 'AI for oncology' project, designed to analyze patient treatment data and support clinicians, has received national recognition at the India AI Summit 2026.

The AI Impact Summit was a sign of things to come in India

OpenAI CEO also downplayed concerns about how much water datacenters require at AI summit in India OpenAI boss Sam Altman has tried to ease concerns about how much power is used by artificial intellig

Among the signatories of the joint statement are JNU Vice-Chancellor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, IIT Roorkee Director Kamal Kishore Pant, and IIT Dharwad Director Venkappayya R Desai; they said converting the event into an ‘occasion for political demonstration’ reflected a serious lack of judgment

The accused, identified as Jitendra Yadav, was apprehended from Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, taking the total number of arrests in the case to five, police said.

The major news headlines of the day and more.

A group of Youth Congress workers on Friday barged into a hall at the AI Summit, shirtless, shouting slogans against the government over agreeing to a trade deal with the US.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the recently concluded Global AI Impact Summit in Delhi and used his 'Mann Ki Baat' address to warn citizens against the dangers of digital fraud.

“We may have differences within India, and the BJP government is indeed cheating us all. But that is separate,” said Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav.

Four Youth Congress workers arrested in connection with the protest at the AI Summit were brought to the Patiala House Court on Saturday morning.

It was a conspiracy to defame country internationally, Delhi Police said while seeking remand of Youth Congress workers who held a shirtless stir at AI Summit.

India's AI summit faced an awkward turn as prominent tech leaders Sam Altman and Dario Amodei reportedly dodged contact with Prime Minister Modi.

India is hosting the India-AI Impact Summit 2026, bringing together global leaders to discuss artificial intelligence. Discussions focused on democratizing AI, building sovereign capabilities, and ensuring inclusive growth. Leaders emphasized AI's transformative potential across sectors like healthcare and education. The summit highlighted India's growing role as a trusted AI hub in the Global South.

Leading technology companies have pledged billions of dollars in investments towards India's artificial intelligence sector during a recent AI summit, signaling a significant boost for the country's tech landscape.

Brazil's President Lula da Silva arrived in New Delhi for the India AI summit, joining other world leaders, while Google and Nvidia presented their plans.

(ANSA) - NEW DELHI, 16 FEB - Italy is present at the India AI Impact Summit and Expo 2026, the mega global event inaugurated today in New Delhi, with a national pavilion. The pavilion, organized by the New Delhi office of the ICE Agency, in collaboration with ICE Milano/Startup, is an open space designed to highlight the capabilities and ingenuity of Italian excellence in AI, advanced technologies, and highly innovative sectors. The Italian start-ups hosted in the Pavilion are: Glam You Up, Macoev, Tinental, Lunocode, Dworld, Oraigo, Traent, and Sparkle, part of the Tim group. Other Italian companies such as Stellantis, Almaviva, and Harmonic Innovation Group will present the progress made with the application of artificial intelligence to their production activities. The AI Summit will offer our country the opportunity to showcase its excellence in the field of supercomputing, a sector in which Italy ranks third worldwide. Italy's presence will be further strengthened by the visit of the Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, who will take part in the Summit on the 19th accompanied by an official delegation composed of representatives from Cineca, Cmcc, Enea, and Eni. Read article...

The Delhi police’s actions against the IYC protesters are heavy-handed

Two additional Youth Congress workers, identified as Girdhar and Kuber Meena, have been arrested in connection with the 'shirtless' protest case at the AI Summit, bringing the total number of arrests to 14.

A dramatic face-off between Delhi and Himachal Pradesh police personnel occurred over the arrest of three individuals involved in an AI Summit shirtless protest, sparking a debate on jurisdictional authority.

A dramatic confrontation unfolded between Delhi and Himachal Pradesh police after Youth Congress activists were arrested, leading to a kidnapping case against Delhi personnel and vehicle detentions near Shimla.

Himachal Police have detained Delhi police officers in Shimla, alleging 'unauthorized' arrests of Youth Congress workers, stemming from the fallout of an AI Summit.

Kharge extended congratulations to members of the Youth Congress for their protest activity at the AI Summit.

Artificial Intelligence is transitioning from pilot use to production scale with measurable performance, with the main obstacles now being infrastructure, energy, security, and data, according to the Cisco AI Summit.

Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge have criticized the arrest of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) chief during a shirtless protest at the AI Summit, denouncing it as a sign of 'dictatorial tendencies'.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman defended the high energy and water demands of AI, comparing AI training to human training and downplaying concerns at an AI summit in India.

A recent summit in India focused on artificial intelligence captured both the ambitious optimism and underlying anxieties surrounding the rapid development of AI.

Police have also detained another Youth Congress protester and are conducting raids to search for the remaining protesters.

The investigators are also probing the financial trail behind the protest, including who funded printing slogans on the T-shirts

PCC president Sharmila has slammed Naidu and Jagan for their criticism of a Youth Congress protest, also alleging mismanagement of an AI Summit and detrimental central government decisions.

Prime Minister Modi accused the Congress party of engaging in 'gandi aur nangi' (dirty and naked) politics by staging a 'shirtless' protest at an AI summit.

A five-day global summit on artificial intelligence in India, attended by tens of thousands including tech leaders and national representatives, concluded with few tangible results.

Police alleged that Youth Congress protesters raised 'anti-national' slogans at an AI summit venue in Delhi, while defense counsel dismissed the FIR as a political move, linking it to broader agitations.

India's recent AI summit, intended to be a major global event, was reportedly plagued by severe traffic congestion and a lack of organization, despite ambitious goals.

BJP supporters protested against Rahul Gandhi in Mumbai, waving black flags as a response to Congress's actions at the AI Summit.

The Congress party has defended a shirtless protest staged by youth activists at an AI summit, stating that 'angry youth won't stay silent'.

The BJP has accused the Congress of disrupting the AI Impact Summit to damage India's global image, alleging the protest was directed by Rahul Gandhi. Youth Congress workers staged a demonstration, raising slogans against the Prime Minister, leading to detentions. BJP leaders condemned the act as an attempt to embarrass India on the world stage.

The techno-political history of the late 20th century and the first quarter of the 21st century may well be divided into two distinct technological ep.

Bill Gates Pulls Out Of High-Profile Indian AI Summit As Epstein Fallout Accelerates The Epstein fallout continues to spread by the day, with billionaire Les Wexner saying he was "conne

The CEO of DeepMind issued a warning about the potential risks of artificial intelligence and urged for global cooperation on AI regulation during a summit in India.

French President Emmanuel Macron has strongly criticized social media platforms, stating that 'free speech is pure bull...' at an AI summit.

An Indian university is under scrutiny for allegedly misrepresenting a Chinese-made robotic dog as its own technological advancement at an AI summit, sparking an academic scandal.

Senior representatives from Reliance Industries Ltd. and the Adani Group are actively recruiting young engineers and data scientists at an AI summit.

Indian billionaires Ambani and Adani are actively scouting and recruiting engineers at an AI summit that has also transformed into a job fair.

"You could see easily a world where maybe most of the world's population is running on a Chinese tech stack in five to 10 years time," one analyst told CNBC.