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Picture Courtesy:   hindustantimes 

 CONTEXT 

The AI Impact Summit 2026 concluded with the New Delhi Declaration on AI Impact to utilize AI for fair economic growth and social development.

What is the New Delhi Declaration on AI Impact?

It is an international agreement adopted at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, to shift the global AI focus from safety to practical impact, equitable access, and inclusive growth.

Signatories: Endorsed by 89 countries and international organisations, including major powers like the US, UK, China, the EU.

Core Philosophy: Guided by the principle of "Sarvajan Hitaya, Sarvajan Sukhaya" (Welfare for all, Happiness for all) and the ethos of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" (The world is one family).

Nature: It is a voluntary and non-binding framework, prioritising international cooperation over rigid regulatory mandates to avoid hindering innovation. 

It is built on three core objectives:

• Democratization: Ensuring fair and equitable access to AI resources, preventing monopolization by a few tech giants or nations.
• Sovereignty: Promoting global cooperation on AI while respecting national laws and data sovereignty.
• Trust: Building secure, transparent, and accessible AI frameworks to foster public confidence.

The "7 Chakras": A Holistic Framework for Action

The declaration outlines its action plan through seven key pillars, termed "Chakras," to ensure a comprehensive approach to AI governance and development.

What are the Key Global Deliverables Announced?

To translate vision into concrete action, the summit announced several voluntary and collaborative mechanisms:

• Charter for the Democratic Diffusion of AI: A framework for affordable access to foundational AI models, preventing "tech-colonization."
• Global AI Impact Commons: An open-source repository of successful AI use-cases (e.g., adapting India's diabetic retinopathy AI for Kenya).
• Trusted AI Commons: A shared library of tools and best practices for startups and smaller nations to test AI safety and security, lowering compliance costs.
• AI Workforce Development Playbook: Guidelines for governments and industries to reskill workers, addressing concerns that AI could affect 40% of global jobs. (Source: IMF)

Why is this Summit Geopolitically Significant For India?

Shifting the Global Narrative

The New Delhi Declaration, unlike the Bletchley Park Summit (UK, 2023), aligns AI with Global South priorities and UN SDGs, framing it as a tool for development.

Exporting the "India Stack" Model

India is globalizing its successful Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) model. The Global AI Impact Commons aims to democratize AI intelligence, mirroring how UPI democratized payments.

• Example: Bhashini platform uses AI for real-time language translation, making services universally accessible ("Digital Public Goods").

Countering the "Compute Divide"

The declaration addresses the concentration of computing hardware (GPUs). It calls for an International Network of AI for Science Institutions for shared access to high-performance computing, similar to CERN.

Challenges Ahead

The "Voluntary" Trap

The framework is "voluntary and non-binding." Without enforcement, powerful actors might ignore its principles, echoing Paris Agreement implementation issues.

The Energy Conundrum

The massive energy needs of AI systems clash with the goal of "Resilient & Efficient AI." The International Energy Agency (IEA) Report projects electricity consumption by data centers will double by 2026, challenging Net Zero goals.

Disparity in AI Readiness

The call for global collaboration is challenged by a deep technological divide, as the production of advanced Foundation Models is concentrated in the USA, China, and the UK.

Way Forward

The New Delhi Declaration establishes India as a global norm-setter in the AI era. Success depends on concrete action: operationalizing the "Global AI Impact Commons" with scalable solutions (like UPI, Aadhaar), bridging the Global North-South divide, and ensuring AI respects fundamental rights, as mandated by the Puttaswamy Judgement.  

Source: PIB