Day 4 of the India AI Summit 2026 witnessed Prime Minister Narendra Modi launch the new and ambitious framework for AI – the MANAV Vision – which seeks to place the Global South at the center of AI governance. While delivering his speech at Bharat Mandapam, he emphasized the importance of AI for the betterment of humankind and for fostering economic growth while also ensuring that developing countries are not left behind in the technology revolution.
What MANAV Vision Stands For?
The Prime Minister described the new AI framework as “a vision to develop AI that is human-centered, accessible and inclusive, transparent and accountable, and aligns with the values of democracy.” This new initiative seeks to ensure that AI technology develops at a pace that aligns with the economic realities of new and emerging economies around the world. According to Modi, technology should be used to bridge the gap and empower developing countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
Centering the Global South
The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of centering the issues of the Global South in AI policy discussions. According to him, “the majority of global AI regulations have been framed by the developed world and have not factored in the developmental concerns of less industrialized countries.” Modi emphasized that AI policy should not be determined by a few countries but by new countries as well. “AI governance should not be dictated by a few. New countries should have equal voices in framing AI policy for data privacy, digital sovereignty, and ethical use of AI.” India is ready to act as a bridge between advanced technology countries and less industrialized countries.
India’s footprint in Artificial Intelligence
The summit has attracted global CEOs, policymakers, researchers, and startup leaders. The past four days have witnessed debates on:
- Artificial Intelligence innovation and infrastructure
- Artificial Intelligence governance
- The growth of a startup ecosystem
- Artificial Intelligence in health, agriculture, and education
- International cooperation
The Prime Minister emphasized India’s digital infrastructure and talent pool as strengths to be leveraged to position India as a leader in Artificial Intelligence innovation in the Global South.
Innovation and Artificial Intelligence Governance
While focusing on innovation, he also emphasized Artificial Intelligence governance to prevent issues such as misinformation, algorithmic bias, and Artificial Intelligence misuse. The framework is likely to be a point of discussion in international settings and could be a guiding tool in international Artificial Intelligence conventions.
The Larger Context
Day 4 saw a change in the tone from a purely technological presentation to Artificial Intelligence governance. The launch of the MANAV Vision framework is a step to position India as a leader in Artificial Intelligence innovation in the Global South. As the summit progresses to its concluding stages, international players are looking to see how these proposals materialize in a collaborative framework.
