UK Brings AI-Focused Diplomacy To India At AI Impact Summit 2026

UK Brings AI-Focused Diplomacy To India At AI Impact Summit 2026

Britain has placed artificial intelligence at the heart of its global diplomacy, with Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy and AI Minister Kanishka Narayan arriving in India this week to lead a high-profile UK delegation to the India AI Impact Summit 2026.

The visit underlines the UK’s ambition to shape how AI is developed, governed and deployed worldwide, while deepening its technology partnership with India, one of the fastest-growing digital economies. British ministers are expected to argue that AI can be a powerful driver of economic renewal, social inclusion and public service reform if countries work together to harness it responsibly.

The New Delhi summit builds on the momentum of earlier global AI gatherings in Bletchley, Seoul and Paris, where the UK has played a central role in steering international conversations on safety, ethics and innovation. This year’s focus shifts firmly to impact how AI can tangibly improve citizens’ lives, create jobs and support sustainable growth.

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Leading the UK delegation, Lammy will engage with Indian policymakers, researchers and industry leaders to explore how British and Indian innovations are already reshaping sectors from healthcare and education to local government and business. He is scheduled to participate in discussions on inclusive social empowerment and is expected to speak on a high-level panel examining how AI and global languages can unlock new opportunities.

A key announcement during the visit will be new UK support for the Asian AI for Development (AI4D) Observatory, aimed at strengthening responsible AI innovation and governance across South and Southeast Asia.

“AI is the engine of renewal,” Lammy said ahead of the summit, pointing to its potential to help doctors diagnose diseases faster, teachers personalise learning and councils deliver services more efficiently. He stressed that international collaboration, particularly with India, was essential to ensuring AI’s benefits are widely shared and underpinned by robust safety standards.

AI Minister Kanishka Narayan echoed that message, describing AI as “the defining technology of our generation” and warning against its advantages being concentrated in the hands of a few. “We’re pushing a global vision for AI that helps people everywhere to learn more, earn more and shape the future on their terms,” he said.

Narayan will also travel to Bengaluru, India’s technology hub, to see first-hand how UK-India collaboration is accelerating breakthrough innovation.

The visit comes against the backdrop of deepening economic ties. Major Indian technology firms such as Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services and Wipro are expanding their UK operations, following commitments of 1.3 billion euros in Indian investment announced during Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to Mumbai last year. UK companies, meanwhile, generate more than 47.5 billion euros in revenue from their operations in India.

The summit also feeds into Vision 2035, a long-term roadmap unveiled by Starmer and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to unlock growth, drive innovation and jointly shape the technologies of tomorrow.

As talks get underway in New Delhi, the UK is positioning itself not just as an AI innovator, but as a convener – determined to turn global ambition into real-world impact.