The India AI Impact Summit: A Global Stage or a Logistical Nightmare?

The India AI Impact Summit 2026 was supposed to be the moment India firmly planted its flag as a global leader in artificial intelligence. Held at the majestic Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, the event promised to bring together the brightest minds, the biggest tech giants, and the most innovative startups. Instead, the opening days of the summit have been dominated by headlines of chaos, long queues, and a heated political war of words.

​When an event of this scale is organized, there is always a bit of pressure. But what unfolded on Monday and Tuesday went beyond simple "teething issues." It led to a public apology from Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and a stinging critique from Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. As the dust settles on the initial confusion, we look at what went wrong and how the government is trying to fix it.

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The Spark That Led to the Apology

​On Tuesday, IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stepped up to a press conference with a clear message: "We apologize." It is not often that you see a senior minister offer such a direct apology in the middle of a flagship event, but the situation on the ground left little choice. The first day of the summit saw an unprecedented surge of people. According to the minister, over 70,000 people attended on day one alone.

​While the government viewed this "phenomenal turnout" as a sign of India’s massive interest in AI, the visitors felt the weight of that crowd in a very different way. The sheer volume of people led to a near-total collapse of the entry systems. Attendees reported standing in snaking queues for hours, often with no clear information on where to go. Some delegates who had traveled from across the world found themselves stuck outside the very halls where they were supposed to speak or exhibit.

​Mismanagement or Just Too Much Interest?

​The minister defended the government’s efforts by highlighting the "palpable energy" at the venue. He explained that his team had been working day and night and had even set up a "war room" to address real-time complaints. Despite these efforts, the gap between the vision and the execution was hard to ignore.

​The core of the problem seemed to be a mix of security protocols and logistical planning. Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the expo, parts of the exhibition were temporarily evacuated. For many founders who had paid large sums for stalls, being locked out of their own space was a breaking point. There were also reports of "optics over execution," where the focus seemed to be more on the grand visuals of the summit rather than the comfort of the participants.

​Mallikarjun Kharge Slams the "PR-Hungry" Government

​While the IT Minister was trying to calm the waters, the opposition was ready with a sharp critique. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge did not hold back, describing the event as a scene of "utter chaos and rank mismanagement." In a series of social media posts, Kharge claimed that the summit, which should have been a showpiece for India’s digital prowess, had instead become a source of "global embarrassment."

​Kharge’s criticisms were specific and pointed. He highlighted several issues that participants had been complaining about on social media:

• ​Security Overload: The ban on laptops, bags, and personal electronic devices at a tech summit seemed like a strange decision to many. Kharge pointed out the irony of a technology event where people were stripped of their tools.

• ​Infrastructure Failures: There were reports of patchy Wi-Fi and mobile networks. For an AI summit, a lack of internet is like a car show with no fuel.

• ​The Cash Paradox: In a country pushing for a "Digital India," many food stalls and booths at the venue reportedly refused UPI or digital payments, insisting only on cash.

• ​Theft Allegations: Perhaps most shockingly, some startup founders reported that their high-tech products and wearables were stolen from their stalls during the security sweeps and evacuations.

​Kharge suggested that the central government should take a page out of the book of the Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS), which has a long history of managing massive crowds without this level of disorder.

​The Human Side of the Chaos

​Beyond the political back-and-forth, the real story lies with the attendees. Imagine being a young founder of an AI startup. You have spent months developing a product, thousands of rupees on travel and stall fees, and you arrive at the venue only to find your stall locked or your equipment missing.

​One CEO took to social media to share his frustration, stating that he was asked to leave his booth for a security sweep, only to return and find his company's AI wearables gone. Another entrepreneur lamented that the event "sidelines its own builders" in favor of photo opportunities for VVIPs. These are the people who are supposed to drive India’s AI revolution, and many felt like an afterthought in their own industry’s biggest gathering.

​The "War Room" Response

​To the government's credit, they have not stayed silent. The establishment of a dedicated "war room" suggests that they recognize the severity of the situation. Ashwini Vaishnaw has invited direct feedback, promising that the remaining days of the five-day summit will be much smoother.

​The organizers have started taking corrective measures to ease congestion. Registration glitches are being ironed out, and security checks are being streamlined to avoid the "overlapping" that caused the initial bottlenecks. The minister’s apology was an attempt to reset the narrative and shift the focus back to the $200 billion investment potential India sees in the AI sector over the next few years.

​Looking Ahead: Can the Summit Be Saved?

​The India AI Impact Summit is scheduled to run until February 20th. While the start was rocky, there is still time for the event to live up to its name. The participation of global "Big Tech" firms and leaders from over 100 countries means the stakes remain incredibly high.

​The lesson here is a simple one: high-tech ambitions must be matched by high-quality ground management. You cannot talk about the future of artificial intelligence if the basic intelligence of managing a crowd, providing water, and ensuring internet connectivity is missing.

​As the summit continues, the world is watching. Not just to see what India can build in the world of AI, but to see if it can successfully host the people who are building it. The apology from the IT Minister was a necessary first step, but the real test will be whether the "war room" can turn chaos back into a celebration of innovation.