One-day summit at the Mohali campus of ISB brings together policymakers, technologists, and civil society to advance AI-powered solutions for digital commerce, safety, healthcare, and governance under India’s Viksit Bharat vision.
Face2News/Mohali
The Bharti Institute of Public Policy (BIPP) at the Indian School of Business (ISB), in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), on Saturday hosted the Governance Summit 2026: Inclusive AI for Viksit Bharat at the Mohali campus of ISB.
The fourth edition of the summit commenced with an inaugural keynote address, delivered by Shri S. Krishnan, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, who set out the government’s commitment to building an AI ecosystem that serves every citizen, including those at the margins of the digital economy. In his keynote, he highlighted that artificial intelligence presents India with a transformative opportunity to enhance productivity, improve governance, and expand access across sectors such as healthcare, education, manufacturing, and financial inclusion. He also raised that while concerns around the impact of AI on cognitive jobs are understandable, India is uniquely positioned to harness this technology for inclusive growth.
Professor Ashwini Chhatre, Executive Director, Bharti Institute of Public Policy, ISB, emphasised the need to translate AI ambitions into actionable governance frameworks. He highlighted that AI must be viewed as a long-term national mission shaping the future of the next generation and identified inequality, leapfrogging opportunities, and the future of jobs as key dimensions of the emerging AI landscape. Prof. Chhatre also stressed that access to AI opportunities must remain equitable through appropriate safeguards, social security mechanisms, and affirmative action.
Dr Aarushi Jain, Director, Bharti Institute of Public Policy, ISB, underscored that genuine inclusion requires deliberate policy design. She highlighted that artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic concept, but a transformative force reshaping economies, governance, education, and healthcare, while influencing the lives of citizens across the globe.
The day-long programme featured four thematic panel discussions covering AI’s role in digital commerce, online safety for women and children, healthcare access and affordability, and job creation and digital entrepreneurship. More than 250 delegates participated in the Governance Summit 2026, reflecting the growing significance of conversations at the intersection of artificial intelligence, governance, and public policy. The summit brought together a distinguished line-up of policymakers, industry leaders, academics, civil society representatives, and international organisations, including participants from MeitY, Reliance Retail, Mastercard, IIT Madras, UNICEF India, Punjab Police, Karmayogi Bharat, and key stakeholders from the IndiaAI ecosystem.