PM Modi unveils global MANAV vision at India AI Impact Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called for the democratisation of artificial intelligence and a human-centric global governance framework at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, urging nations to ensure that humans and intelligent systems “co-create, co-work and co-evolve” under transparent and open standards.

Addressing more than 200,000 participants at what organisers described as the first global AI summit hosted in the Global South, Modi positioned India as both a representative voice of developing nations and a technology producer seeking to shape global norms.

“Hosting this summit is not only a matter of pride for India but also for the Global South,” Modi said. “One-sixth of humanity is represented by India. India has the largest young population. India is at the centre of the tech-enabled ecosystem.”

The six-day conference, themed ‘Welfare for All, Happiness for All’, has drawn heads of state and technology leaders, including Sam Altman, Sundar Pichai and Jensen Huang, alongside policymakers and industry representatives.

Democratising AI Through MANAV

Modi framed his address around the need to shift from AI-centric to human-centric systems, warning against a model that reduces people to data inputs.

“Welfare for all, and happiness for all, is our benchmark,” he said. “Humans should not become mere data points or raw material for AI.”

He announced the MANAV framework as India’s governance model for artificial intelligence. The acronym, which means human, stands for Moral and Ethical systems; Accountable governance; National Sovereignty over data; Accessible and inclusive systems; and Valid and legitimate AI under the rule of law.

“This MANAV vision of India will become an important link for the welfare of humanity in the AI-based world of the 21st century,” Modi said.

Under the framework, ethical responsibility and transparent oversight would guide AI deployment. Data generated within national borders, he said, should remain under that country’s jurisdiction.

“We have to open the skies for AI but also have to make sure that we remain in control of it,” Modi said. “We should provide AI with an open scope to evolve, but the command must remain in our hands.”

Future of Work and Human Co-Creation

Modi said the trajectory of AI will depend on choices made by governments and industry rather than technological inevitability.

“Decades ago, when the Internet started, no one could have imagined how many jobs it would create. The same is true for AI,” he said. “Today, it is difficult to imagine what kind of jobs will be created in this field in the future.”

“The future of work in AI is not predefined. It will depend on our decisions, our course and course of action. I believe the future of work is a new opportunity for us. This is the era of humans and intelligent systems working together,” he said.

“We are entering an era where humans and intelligence system co-create, co-work and co-evolve,” Modi added.

He called for large-scale investment in skills. “We must make skilling, reskilling, and lifelong learning a mass movement. The future of work will be inclusive, trusted, and human-centric. If we move forward together, artificial intelligence will elevate the potential of humanity,” he said.

Modi said AI is expanding both machine capability and human capacity. “AI is making machines intelligent but more than that it is also increasing the human potential manifolds. There is only one difference – the speed is unprecedented and scale is also unexpected,” he said.

Open Codes Transparency and Global Standards

Calling for AI to serve the global common good, Modi advocated open codes and transparency to build trust across borders.

“AI should be used for global common good,” he said, adding that openness can prevent concentration of power and encourage collaborative innovation.

He proposed authenticity labels, watermarking and source labelling as standard features in AI-generated content to counter misinformation. He also stressed the need for child-safe and family-guided AI systems.

“We have to have a big vision and shoulder an equally big responsibility. Along with the present generation, we also have to worry about what form of AI we will hand over to the coming generations,” Modi said.

Drawing a parallel with nuclear power, he said the question is not what artificial intelligence can do in the future, but how it is used in the present.

“AI has the ability to change things. If it is given the right direction, it becomes a solution; if it is directionless, it becomes a disruption,” he said.

India Sees Future and Fortune in AI

Positioning India as both a talent hub and policy architect, Modi said the country is prepared to play a central role in the evolving AI economy.

“India is the biggest county of youth, tech talent pool, tech-enabled ecosystem. India makes new technologies and adapts it with speed,” he said.

“India sees a strong future in AI. We have the talent, energy capacity, and policy clarity,” Modi said, noting that three Indian companies launched AI models and applications at the summit.

“Some people fear AI, some see the future in it. India sees future in AI,” he said.

In his closing remarks, Modi invited global developers and enterprises to build in India for global impact.

“I invite you all to design and develop in India, deliver to the world, humanity,” he said.

As debates over sovereignty, standards and safety intensify, Modi’s address sought to place India at the centre of a new governance conversation—one that links open innovation with accountability and frames artificial intelligence not as an autonomous force, but as a tool shaped by human values and collective responsibility.

PM Modi's speech was transcribed and edited with limited use of AI-based tools.