India has emerged as a global leader in artificial intelligence adoption, topping international rankings in AI skills diffusion and AI hiring, according to the 2026 Global Vibrancy Index (GVI) by Stanford University’s Institute for Human-Centred AI. Only the United States scores higher in economic competitiveness, placing India third overall behind the US and China.
The GVI highlights India’s strong performance in talent competitiveness, with the nation surpassing the US in AI Skills Penetration and AI Hiring Ratio. In addition, India ranks second in AI-related social media sentiment, GitHub AI projects, and GitHub project stars, indicators of active participation and recognition in the global AI ecosystem. GitHub serves as a key platform for collaborative AI development, allowing projects and components to be shared widely.
The Institute attributes India’s rise to sustained national initiatives designed to strengthen the country’s role in AI research, development, and implementation. “This focus illustrates how nations worldwide continue to treat AI as a strategic national priority,” the Institute said, noting India’s remarkable climb from seventh place in the inaugural 2017 GVI to its current standing, overtaking countries such as Japan, Germany, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.
India is set to host the India AI Impact Summit from February 16 to 20 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The event, organised by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) under the IndiaAI Mission, will gather governments, industry leaders, researchers, startups, students, and citizens from across the globe. The summit is intended as a global platform to create actionable agendas for inclusive, responsible, and high-impact AI deployment.
The Summit’s programme is structured around three core pillars: People, Planet, and Progress. Discussions will focus on employment and skills development, sustainable and energy-efficient AI applications, and AI’s role in economic and social growth. Seven thematic working groups, co-chaired by representatives from both the Global North and Global South, will deliver concrete proposals including AI Commons, trusted AI tools, shared computational infrastructure, and sector-specific AI use case compendiums.
Experts say the summit aims to move beyond high-level policy debates, prioritising tangible outcomes that can directly support innovation, economic growth, and social development. India’s strong ranking in AI skills and adoption underscores the country’s capacity to leverage emerging technologies strategically, while providing a framework for responsible AI governance at an international scale.
The GVI report and the upcoming summit together reflect India’s position as a leading hub in the global AI landscape, combining academic excellence, technological adoption, and policy-driven growth to cement its role as a frontrunner in shaping AI for social and economic benefit.
