Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held a roundtable discussion with founders and leaders from Indian AI startโups as the country gears up for the India AI Impact Summit, a flagship event meant to showcase Indiaโs growing capabilities in artificial intelligence and foster global collaboration.
The session focused on emerging opportunities, challenges facing the AI ecosystem, and how India can lead innovation while ensuring ethical use of the technology.
The roundtable brought together entrepreneurs, innovators, and industry experts to share insights and explore ways to strengthen homegrown AI development.
Addressing the group, PM Modi spoke about the importance of AI as a transformative force across sectors. โArtificial Intelligence is not just a technology of the future; it is a technology of today,โ he said.
๐๐ซ๐ข๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ @narendramodi ๐๐ก๐๐ข๐ซ๐ฌ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ญ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐๐ง ๐๐ ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ญ-๐๐ฉ๐ฌ ๐๐ญ ๐ก๐ข๐ฌ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ข๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐๐ฐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ก๐ข.
— All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) January 8, 2026
Ahead of the ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐๐๐ to be held in India next month,โฆ pic.twitter.com/zVrWnpm4OJ
Modi pointed out that Indiaโs youthful population and growing digital infrastructure give it an edge in adopting and developing AI solutions.
โIndiaโs strength lies in its vibrant startโup ecosystem, and AI can become a pillar of our economic progress,โ he added.
Startโups share challenges and aspirations
During the meet, startโup founders shed light on both opportunities and challenges in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. Many stressed that while India has a wealth of talent, there are obstacles related to data access, funding, and regulatory clarity that need to be addressed.
One participant, quoted by ANI, noted that access to diverse datasets, particularly in regional languages, would help accelerate innovation. Others said that clear policy frameworks could improve investor confidence and encourage more robust R&D in niche AI segments.
โWe must ensure that AI is trustworthy, inclusive and beneficial to all sections of society,โ one startโup leader said.
The roundtable set the stage for the India AI Impact Summit, scheduled to attract AI leaders, policymakers, and technologists from around the world.


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