India Pushes for Sovereign AI at Global AI Summit
India is promoting local AI like Sarvam to safeguard user data and strengthen its AI ecosystem against global dominance.
The ongoing India AI Impact Summit 2026 in Delhi has drawn tech titans like Sam Altman of OpenAI, Sundar Pichai of Google, and Microsoft executives. While the conference spotlights cutting-edge AI developments, the broader conversation revolves around Sovereign AI—India’s push for locally-built artificial intelligence that addresses the nation’s unique needs.
The Indian government is advocating for homegrown AI solutions, with startups like Sarvam AI leading the way. Reportedly outperforming global models like ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini in several benchmarks, Sarvam demonstrates the strategic advantage of AI tailored to the Indian context, especially in Indic languages. By highlighting Sarvam, authorities aim to motivate other domestic companies to participate in the IndiaAI Mission and contribute to a truly localised AI ecosystem.
Sovereign AI has become a prominent theme in government discourse. With billions of users relying on platforms like ChatGPT and Gemini, India is acutely aware of the risks of storing sensitive data on foreign servers. “Any possible data mishap with the global AI giants will be hard for India’s regime to act on, which is not the case with a locally-built AI model like Sarvam and others to come in the near future,” the summit noted.
For sovereign AI to thrive, experts emphasise the need for a complete domestic AI stack, encompassing both hardware and software infrastructure. Localised AI ensures that sensitive data remains within national borders, addressing both security and regulatory concerns. Moreover, models trained locally are more adept at understanding cultural nuances and regional languages, reducing the risk of errors or hallucinations seen in foreign AI systems.
The summit highlighted the stark contrast between global and local AI adoption. “There is a big reason why Gemini and ChatGPT are available for free in India for billions,” the report stated. The government sees the imperative to intervene by supporting domestic AI players and giving them a platform to compete with global giants.
Over the next few years, India’s AI trajectory is poised for a transformative phase. With initiatives like the AI Summit and the IndiaAI Mission, the country is not just building technology—it is asserting its digital sovereignty, ensuring that AI solutions align with Indian societal, linguistic, and regulatory needs.
As local players continue to innovate, Sovereign AI could emerge as a defining element of India’s technology landscape, enabling the nation to compete on the global stage while safeguarding its users’ data and interests.
