An Official Pre-Summit Event for IndiaAI Impact Summit
Ahead of the 2026 AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, The Dialogue and ITIF’s Center for Data Innovation are convening an official pre-summit event in Washington, D.C. on January 20, 2026 at the Google DC Headquarters
.📅 Date
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
⏰ Time
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM (ET) | Registration & Standing Lunch
12:30 PM – 4:00 PM (ET) | From Delhi to DC: AI Summit
4:00 PM onwards (ET) | Networking Reception with Small Bites & Cocktails
📍 Location
Google Washington, D.C.
25 Massachusetts Ave NW, Suite 900
Washington, DC 20001
Your kind confirmation of attendance by January 16, 2026, would be sincerely appreciated.
Artificial Intelligence is the defining force of the next wave of global technological transformation. While the partnership between India and the United States, anchored in the iCET (Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology) and the TRUST framework, is a primary engine of this change, its true significance lies in its potential to shape multilateral standards for the global digital economy.
As the world’s leading democratic digital powers, India and the U.S. are uniquely positioned to co-create an AI ecosystem that is not only innovative but also inclusive of the Global Majority. This pre-summit convening in Washington, D.C., serves as a strategic bridge to the 2026 AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. By bringing together policymakers, technologists, and researchers, we aim to move beyond bilateral cooperation toward a multilateral blueprint for AI, one that prioritises democratised access, interoperable safety guardrails, and the deployment of AI for global public goods.
As a hub of AI innovation, the US—home to leaders like NVIDIA and Google DeepMind, who are key summit participants—provides an ideal venue for strengthening US-India collaboration. The forum will integrate multiple Chakra themes, with emphasis on affordable and accessible AI Compute, market access for companies in both countries, talent maximisation and key AI governance principles. Outcomes will contribute directly to the main summit, fostering bilateral ties and turning shared visions into global progress.
Welcome Address by Christopher (Cris) Turner, Vice President, Knowledge & Information Products, Government Affairs & Public Policy, Google
Keynote Addresses:
• Dr. Ajay Kumar, Hon’ble Minister (Commerce), Embassy of India
• Bethany Poulos Morrison, Hon’ble Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs
Panel 1: Scaling AI Adoption Through Skills, Deployment, and Trust
This session will focus on how countries are adopting AI to drive tangible economic and social impact, and what is enabling or constraining that adoption in practice. Drawing on insights from the United States, India, and across the world, the discussion will examine how AI is being deployed across sectors such as public services, healthcare, agriculture, finance, and small and medium-sized enterprises, and how these deployments translate into productivity gains, improved service delivery, and inclusive growth. The session will explore the practical conditions that shape successful adoption, particularly access to talent and skills. It will also highlight how different countries are adapting AI systems to local needs, constraints, and development priorities, and what lessons travel across regions. The goal is to surface concrete examples and shared challenges that can inform a more coordinated approach to supporting AI adoption across diverse national contexts.
Speakers:
- Dr. Jane Munga, Fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- Han Sheng Chia, Director, AI Initiative & Policy Fellow Center for Global Development
- Poornima Shenoy, US Representative, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI)
- Hodan Omaar, Senior Policy Manager, ITIF’s Center for Data Innovation (moderator)
Special Video Address by Shri S. Krishnan Hon’ble Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology Government of India
Panel 2: Compute Equity and Interoperable Safeguards: Bridging the Global Divide
This session contextualizes the “Compute Corridor” not just as a bilateral asset, but as a model for Global Compute Equity. Panelists will discuss how U.S.-India collaboration on heterogeneous compute access, resilient data centers, and secure supply chains can create a template for the Global Majority. Simultaneously, it explores the creation of interoperable safety and security standards serving as a basis for a common, multilateral framework for responsible frontier AI. The session will underscore the dual needs to innovate (compute) and guardrails (safety), balancing infrastructure access with safety benchmarks.
Speakers:
- Jeffrey D. Bean, Program Manager, Technology Policy & Editor, ORF America
- Benjamin Schwartz, Managing Head of Infrastructure Partnerships and Policy, OpenAI
- Behnaz Kibria, Director, Government Affairs and Public Policy, Google Cloud
- Jameela Sahiba, Associate Director, AI & Public Affairs, The Dialogue (moderator)
Panel 3: Developing a Shared Roadmap for AI Policy and Innovation
This session will discuss the priority policies and governance models required to build responsible, resilient, interoperable, and safe AI ecosystems that support transformative innovation and growth while managing risks. Panelists will identify priority areas of strategic cooperation and policy coordination between the US and India, examine global approaches to AI governance and regulation, and discuss best practices for attracting AI investment, talent, and growth. This discussion aims to provide insights for the India AI Impact Summit to support global collaboration on building regulatory environments for AI that allow societies to harness the tremendous benefits of AI while maintaining safety and trust.
Speakers
- David Weller, Senior Director of Emerging Tech, Competitiveness & Sustainability Policy, Google
- Ridhika Batra, VP Corporate Affairs, Mahindra Group
- Vikram Singh, Senior Advisor, Defense and Aerospace, at the U.S. India Strategic Partnership Forum
- Olivia Igbokwe-Curry, Lead, US Federal Political Affairs, AWS
- Aalok Mehta, Director, Wadhwani AI Center at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (moderator)
The Dialogue
Indian think-tank, based in New Delhi, working on the intersection of technology, public-policy and society. Ranked amongst the world’s top-ten think-tanks to watch out for by UPenn.
The Dialogue’s Coalition for Responsible Evolution of AI (CoRE-AI), which includes major tech players like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon Web Services (AWS), Indian IT firms (Infosys), along with Indian startups and academia all working together on AI policy, innovation, and responsible deployment, alongside broader government initiatives for AI development and regulation. This collaboration helps shape India’s AI strategy, balancing large global investments with domestic growth and ethical frameworks.
Focused on balancing innovation with regulation, especially concerning copyright, competition, and ethics, while promoting trustworthy AI adoption and inclusivity through reports, roundtables, and close engagement with Indian government bodies like DPIIT and MeitY.
ITIF’s Center for Data Innovation
Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF), based in Washington, D.C., is consistently ranked as one of the world’s leading science and technology policy think tanks.
The Center is focused on policies for data-driven innovation, AI, open data, and IoT, aiming to maximize benefits through pragmatic solutions and public education, promoting responsible data use for economic growth and societal progress.
Registrations Closed