The ASSOCHAM AI Leadership Meet convened in New Delhi as the official pre-summit event to the India AI Impact Summit 2026, bringing together policymakers, industry leaders and technology experts to assess how artificial intelligence is moving from concept to measurable outcomes across sectors.

Now in its ninth edition, the forum centred on translating AI ideas into scalable deployments, with discussions spanning healthcare, finance, manufacturing, agriculture and governance. The emphasis remained on real-world impact rather than experimentation.

Government outlines convergence-driven AI strategy

Addressing the gathering, S. Krishnan, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, said India’s AI momentum is rooted in application development and implementation, backed by coordinated national programmes.

He highlighted convergence across the IndiaAI Mission, the National Supercomputing Mission and the India Semiconductor Mission, noting that policy, infrastructure and innovation are being aligned to strengthen AI capabilities. According to Krishnan, India’s ranking as third globally in the number of AI companies reflects strengths in research and STEM talent.

Guarded regulation to support innovation

Krishnan also outlined the government’s approach to AI regulation, describing it as deliberately cautious to avoid slowing innovation. Existing frameworks under the IT Act and the Digital Personal Data Protection regime are being used to address responsible AI use, with further regulation considered only if required.

The regulatory focus, he said, is preventive and enabling, based on a no-harm principle while remaining open to industry dialogue.

Industry voices stress impact, trust and scale

Industry leaders echoed the shift from pilots to production. Discussions at the ASSOCHAM AI Leadership Meet repeatedly returned to the need for measurable outcomes, trust and accountability as AI systems scale.

Speakers pointed to India’s population-scale digital infrastructure as an advantage, enabling AI deployments that are inclusive, measurable and commercially viable. Aligning innovation with public policy, skilling talent at scale and embedding responsibility into AI design were highlighted as priorities.

AI as an organisational operating layer

Several speakers described AI as moving beyond a tool to becoming an operating layer within organisations. The focus, they said, is on reimagining processes, reshaping roles and embedding AI across decision-making, rather than isolated use cases.

Responsible AI practices, workforce transformation and stewardship were positioned as critical to sustaining long-term value from AI investments.

Knowledge report underscores open-source role

A key highlight of the ninth edition of the ASSOCHAM AI Leadership Meet was the release of a joint Knowledge Report titled Open-Source AI Report, developed in collaboration with SAM. The report was unveiled by senior government and industry representatives, underscoring the role of open-source models in accelerating adoption while maintaining transparency.

As a curtain-raiser to the India AI Impact Summit 2026, the event set the tone for deeper collaboration between government and industry, with a clear message: India’s AI focus is now firmly on impact, scale and responsibility.