Since 2023, a series of global summits has brought together world leaders, industry, and civil society to advance international cooperation and collaboration on artificial intelligence. In February 2026, India will host the AI Impact Summit, marking the first time an AI summit is held in the Global South. As this event approaches, conversations around international AI priorities are intensifying, with India positioned to play a central role in shaping next steps.
Please join CSIS's Wadhwani AI Center and the Chair on India and Emerging Asia Economies for “Exploring Global AI Policy Priorities Ahead of the India AI Impact Summit,” on January 30, 2026. This event will take place at CSIS from 9:15 AM ET to 2:00 PM ET and will convene leading voices in AI to explore India’s goals for the upcoming AI Impact Summit and expert perspectives on the future of global AI policy.
The conference will feature Ambassador Vinay Kwatra of India and Ambassador Laurent Bili of France for a conversation situating the AI Impact Summit within the momentum created by the Paris AI Action Summit, which France and India co-hosted in Paris in February 2025. Panel discussions will also focus on domestic and global AI policy agendas, industry perspectives on governance and innovation, and AI-driven development initiatives in the Global South.
Kindly register via the Register Tab to attend in person. Please note that registration alone does not guarantee entry. A confirmation email from CSIS is required for attendance. Seating is limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis for confirmed participants.
This event is made possible by the generous support of Fathom.
Dr. John J. Hamre - President and CEO, Center for Strategic and International Studies
Speakers:
Laurent Bili – Ambassador of France to the United States
Vinay Kwatra – Ambassador of India to the United States
Moderator: Gregory C. Allen, Senior Adviser, Wadhwani AI Center at CSIS
Speakers:
Dean Ball – Senior Fellow, Foundation for American Innovation
Russ Headlee - Senior Bureau Official, U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy
Shana Mansbach – VP of Strategy and Communications, Fathom
Moderator: Aalok Mehta, Director, Wadhwani AI Center at CSIS
Speakers:
Khalil Gharbieh – Senior Director of Trade Policy, Microsoft
Poornima Shenoy – U.S. Representative, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry
Simon Staffell - Director Frontier Policy Partnerships, Google DeepMind
Moderator: Rick Rossow, Senior Adviser and Chair, Chair in India and Emerging Asia Economics at CSIS
Speakers:
To be confirmed
Moderator: Anjali Kaur, Senior Associate, Chair on India and Emerging Asia Economics at CSIS
