Governance Summit 2026: Inclusive AI Vision for Viksit Bharat Held at ISB Mohali

Artificial intelligence is increasingly being viewed as the next major driver of economic growth, governance innovation, and social transformation.

In a significant step towards shaping India's inclusive artificial intelligence ecosystem, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), in collaboration with the Bharti Institute of Public Policy at the Indian School of Business (ISB), organised the Governance Summit 2026: Inclusive AI for Viksit Bharat at the ISB Mohali Campus on May 23, 2026.

The summit brought together policymakers, technology experts, industry leaders, researchers, academics, civil society organisations, and governance practitioners to deliberate on the transformative role of artificial intelligence in accelerating India's development journey while ensuring equitable access and social inclusion.

The fourth edition of the summit focused on how AI can strengthen governance systems, improve public service delivery, expand digital access, and generate new economic opportunities across sectors ranging from healthcare and education to commerce, financial inclusion, and entrepreneurship.

Delivering the inaugural keynote address, Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, underlined the government's commitment to building an AI ecosystem that benefits every citizen, particularly those on the margins of the digital economy.

He stated that artificial intelligence offers India a historic opportunity to enhance productivity, modernise governance, and improve service delivery across multiple sectors. According to him, AI can play a transformative role in healthcare accessibility, quality education, smart manufacturing, financial inclusion, and citizen-centric governance.

Shri Krishnan acknowledged global concerns regarding the impact of AI on employment and cognitive jobs but emphasised that India is uniquely positioned to use the technology as a tool for inclusive growth rather than exclusion. He highlighted that India's large digital infrastructure, startup ecosystem, and demographic advantage provide a strong foundation for responsible AI adoption at scale.

The summit featured a series of thematic panel discussions exploring critical dimensions of AI-driven governance and economic transformation. Experts discussed the role of artificial intelligence in digital commerce and the future of India's digital marketplace, particularly in empowering small businesses, rural entrepreneurs, and local innovation ecosystems.

Another major session focused on online safety for women and children in the AI era, examining the challenges posed by cyber threats, misinformation, algorithmic bias, digital exploitation, and online harassment. Participants stressed the importance of ethical AI frameworks, stronger digital safeguards, and responsible technology regulation to ensure safe and inclusive digital spaces.

Healthcare accessibility and affordability emerged as another important area of discussion. Experts explored how AI-powered healthcare systems, predictive diagnostics, telemedicine, digital health records, and data-driven treatment models could improve healthcare delivery in underserved regions while reducing costs and improving efficiency.

The summit also addressed the future of jobs, digital entrepreneurship, and workforce transformation in the age of AI. Discussions highlighted the growing need for reskilling, upskilling, and preparing India's youth for emerging technology-driven occupations. Industry leaders stressed that while AI may automate certain tasks, it is also expected to create new opportunities in digital services, innovation, data management, and technology-enabled industries.

A parallel roundtable discussion examined how AI can be operationalised for last-mile governance and public service delivery. The deliberations focused on the use of artificial intelligence from state-level administration down to gram panchayats to improve efficiency, transparency, grievance redressal, and citizen outreach.

Participants discussed the potential of AI-enabled governance tools in agriculture advisory systems, welfare delivery, smart public infrastructure, local governance planning, language translation technologies, and rural digital empowerment initiatives.

In his opening remarks, Prof. Ashwini Chhatre, Associate Professor and Executive Director of the Bharti Institute of Public Policy at ISB, stressed the importance of converting India's AI ambitions into practical governance frameworks and long-term institutional strategies.

He described AI as a long-term national mission that will significantly influence the future of the next generation. According to him, issues such as inequality, technological leapfrogging, digital inclusion, and the future of employment are central to the emerging AI landscape.

Prof. Chhatre emphasised that access to AI-driven opportunities must remain equitable and inclusive. He advocated for safeguards, affirmative action mechanisms, and social protection frameworks to ensure that technological progress does not widen socio-economic disparities.

The summit witnessed participation from leading organisations and institutions including Reliance Retail, Mastercard, Apollo Hospitals, IIT Madras, UNICEF India, Punjab Police, and representatives from several ministries and state governments. The diverse participation reflected the growing recognition that AI governance requires collaboration across government, industry, academia, and civil society.

Experts at the event highlighted that India is rapidly emerging as one of the world's largest digital economies, supported by initiatives such as Digital India, IndiaAI Mission, Aadhaar-enabled services, UPI, and expanding digital public infrastructure. Artificial intelligence is increasingly being viewed as the next major driver of economic growth, governance innovation, and social transformation.

At the same time, speakers stressed the importance of responsible AI development, data privacy, transparency, accountability, and ethical safeguards to ensure public trust in AI systems. Inclusive AI governance, they noted, will be critical for ensuring that technological advancements benefit all sections of society rather than deepening existing inequalities.

The Governance Summit 2026 reinforced India's broader vision of leveraging technology for inclusive development and building a digitally empowered, innovation-driven, and globally competitive nation under the vision of Viksit Bharat.