India Takes Center Stage with AI Summit for Global South

India has hosted the first AI summit for the global south, marking a significant position in the AI landscape. Sunil Mittal, Chairman of Bharti Enterprises, highlights Airtel's role in AI, particularly in sovereign cloud initiatives. Airtel plans to expand data centres to 1 gigawatt capacity by 2030.

In a move that positions India prominently in the global AI sector, the nation has hosted the inaugural AI summit for the Global South. This significant event has been praised by global leaders, reinforcing India's growing influence in the AI landscape, as highlighted by Bharti Enterprises Chairman Sunil Mittal.

Speaking at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, Mittal emphasized Airtel's leading role in AI initiatives, particularly focusing on the development of sovereign cloud technology. The summit is recognized as one of the most powerful globally, with acknowledgments from leaders, including France's President Macron.

Bharti Airtel, a key telecommunications player, is furthering its AI ambitions by expanding data centre capacities. Targeting a doubling of its market share in this sector, Airtel aims to increase its capacity from 120 megawatts to 1 gigawatt within three to four years. This aligns with Google's investment strategy with a $15 billion commitment by 2030.