OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman has praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for artificial intelligence, describing it as forward-looking, inclusive and aligned with the broader goal of democratising advanced technology. Altman’s remarks came after his meeting with the Prime Minister on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi an event that has drawn global policymakers, technology leaders and academics to discuss the future of AI governance.
Speaking about his visit, Altman highlighted the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence in India and called the country one of OpenAI’s most dynamic growth markets.
“The energy here and the excitement among builders working on AI across the entire stack is incredible,” Altman said. He noted that India has emerged as OpenAI’s second-largest market globally and is growing at a remarkable pace.
The OpenAI chief also revealed that India is currently the fastest-growing market for Codex, OpenAI’s AI-powered coding partner designed to assist developers with agentic programming tasks. According to Altman, Codex has witnessed a fourfold increase in weekly users in India within just two weeks a surge that underscores the country’s expanding developer ecosystem.
Meeting with PM Modi
Altman’s meeting with Prime Minister Modi focused on India’s strategy to expand AI capabilities while ensuring equitable access and risk mitigation. The Prime Minister has consistently emphasised that artificial intelligence must remain human-centric, secure and inclusive.
“I love the Prime Minister’s vision,” Altman said, pointing specifically to Modi’s call for democratising AI. “His enthusiasm about what this technology can become and his focus on ensuring that everyone in society benefits while also mitigating risks is outstanding.”
The discussion also touched on India’s broader digital transformation journey, including its robust public digital infrastructure, start-up ecosystem and skilled engineering workforce. India’s young and tech-savvy population has positioned it as a key global player in the AI race, particularly as companies seek markets that combine scale with regulatory flexibility.
Altman also addressed students at IIT Delhi during his visit, engaging with young innovators and developers. He described the interaction as one of the highlights of his trip, pointing to the strong pipeline of engineering talent emerging from Indian institutions.
India AI Impact Summit 2026
The India AI Impact Summit 2026 marks the first major global AI summit hosted in the Global South. Held at Bharat Mandapam, the five-day event has attracted representatives from more than 110 countries and around 30 international organisations. Approximately 20 heads of state or government and 45 ministers are participating, alongside leading technology executives.
The summit is structured around three foundational pillars People, Planet and Progress collectively referred to as the “Three Sutras.” These principles aim to promote ethical AI development, environmentally sustainable technological expansion and inclusive economic growth.
The People pillar focuses on safeguarding rights and ensuring equitable benefits across societies. Planet addresses the environmental footprint of AI systems, particularly energy-intensive computing infrastructure. Progress underscores inclusive innovation and economic advancement.
The gathering has brought together prominent industry leaders, including Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, Meta’s Chief AI Officer Alexandr Wang, and Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon, who also met Prime Minister Modi during the summit.
India’s Expanding AI Footprint
Altman’s comments come at a time when India is positioning itself as a global AI hub. The country has attracted substantial investment in cloud infrastructure, semiconductor development and digital public platforms. OpenAI’s expanding footprint in India reflects a broader trend of US technology firms scaling operations in the region.
India’s multilingual landscape and vast developer community make it particularly significant for AI innovation, especially in language models and digital services tailored to emerging markets.
Government officials at the summit emphasised the importance of balancing rapid technological progress with robust governance frameworks. The discussions reflect growing global consensus that AI development must be collaborative and guided by shared principles.
Global Implications
Altman’s endorsement of India’s AI vision underscores the country’s rising influence in global technology policy debates. With geopolitical tensions shaping the digital economy, nations are increasingly seeking to build resilient partnerships and diversify innovation ecosystems.
The India AI Impact Summit represents a platform for shaping norms around responsible AI, particularly from the perspective of developing economies.
As AI continues to transform industries ranging from healthcare and education to defence and finance, India’s role in shaping ethical frameworks and scalable solutions may prove pivotal.
Altman’s remarks suggest that the partnership between India’s leadership and global AI firms is likely to deepen driven by shared interests in expanding access, fostering innovation and mitigating technological risks.
