17th February 2026
Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment with special responsibility for Trade Promotion, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation, Niamh Smyth, will travel to New Delhi from 17–20 February to participate in the India AI Impact Summit 2026.
This follows on from last year’s AI Action Summit in Paris and is the first global AI summit to be hosted in the Global South. The Summit will bring together global leaders, innovators and policymakers to advance practical cooperation on safe, inclusive and human‑centred artificial intelligence.
During her time in New Delhi Minister Smyth will meet with politicians from around the world and engage with businesses and other stakeholders that are leading the way in AI.
Speaking ahead of the visit, Minister Smyth said:
“This visit is an important opportunity to deepen our partnership with India and to work together on shaping a digital future that protects rights, fosters opportunity and inclusion and delivers real impact.
“Ireland and India share a commitment to ensuring that artificial intelligence is developed and deployed in a way that serves people, strengthens societies and supports inclusive economic growth.
“I look forward to engaging with my counterparts from around the world at the upcoming India AI Impact Summit. It is important that Ireland’s voice is heard at forums such as these, particularly in advance of our Presidency of the Council of the European Union. During my time in New Delhi, I will highlight Ireland’s ambition to fast-track enterprise adoption of AI and the progress we have made with implementing the EU AI Act. I will also reassert Ireland’s commitment to ensuring the correct steps are taken to protect our citizens, whilst promoting innovation."
India is the fifth‑largest AI hub globally and provides 16% of global AI talent, the Summit offers a unique platform for Ireland to deepen engagement with this key international partner. Ireland and India trade already exceeds €16 billion annually. Minister Smyth’s participation will reinforce Ireland’s commitment to strengthening these ties and supporting new opportunities for cooperation in AI and digital transformation.
ENDS
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