Ashwini Vaishnaw
NEW DELHI: Union IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Tuesday apologised for the inconvenience faced by organisers, exhibitors and visitors during the opening day of the India AI Impact Summit, assuring that all issues would be addressed and smoother arrangements ensured in the coming days.His remarks came amid reports of long queues, heavy crowds and logistical challenges at Bharat Mandapam, where the five-day summit began on Monday.
Addressing a briefing, Vaishnaw said that the government was open to feedback and had set up a dedicated system to resolve complaints quickly.“Whatever feedback you have, please share with us. We are open-minded. We have a war room operating right now any issue which is there, please report to us. We definitely will take efforts to make it smoother and make it more enjoyable for all of you,” he said.The minister also issued a direct apology to those who faced difficulties on the first day. “If anybody has faced any problems yesterday, my apologies for that. We are working very hard. The entire team is working day and night to organise this world’s biggest AI Summit, and we’ll make all efforts to make sure it is enjoyable for all of you,” Vaishnaw added.In a separate statement, he said, “If any issue or inconvenience has come to exhibitors at AI Summit, we apologise for that. All issues will be addressed.”Amid questions over the absence of some prominent tech faces like Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang at the AI Summit, Vaishnaw said participation is a personal choice and clarified that the company would still be represented at the event.When asked about some top technology companies not participating in the summit, he said, “Regarding some people not attending, this is a personal choice. I would not like to comment on it. Jensen Huang reached out to us, and he said that because of something really unavoidable…he has deputed his very senior executive to join us”.The minister added that Nvidia continues to work closely with Indian companies. “For some very large investments in AI infrastructure.” He further said, “They are also working with some software companies for developing many use cases.”Earlier, Congress had accused the Centre of mismanagement. Party president Mallikarjun Kharge termed the situation “utter chaos” and described the government as “PR hungry”, alleging that founders, exhibitors and visitors faced distress due to lack of basic facilities.He listed complaints such as shortage of food and water, alleged theft of products, failure of Digi Yatra, restrictions on laptops and personal electronic devices, acceptance of only cash payments instead of digital modes, and high participation costs without adequate facilities.The AI Impact Summit, being described as the world’s largest artificial intelligence gathering, is being held from February 16 to 20 in New Delhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the event, which has drawn thousands of participants, including policymakers, industry leaders, startup founders and global technology executives.More than 20 heads of state and government, including France’s Emmanuel Macron and Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, are expected to participate. Technology leaders such as OpenAI’s Sam Altman and Google’s Sundar Pichai are also scheduled to attend.The summit aims to shape a “shared roadmap for global AI governance and collaboration” under the themes of “People, Planet and Progress”. India is positioning itself as a global hub for digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence, with a focus on expanding access to AI technologies and building consensus on responsible AI development.PTI reporters at the venue observed long queues outside session halls due to high demand and packed schedules. Organisers said registrations had exceeded expectations, reflecting strong global interest in AI infrastructure, enterprise adoption and governance.The summit aims to shape a “shared roadmap for global AI governance and collaboration” under the themes of “People, Planet and Progress”. India is positioning itself as a global hub for digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence, with a focus on expanding access to AI technologies and building consensus on responsible AI development.
