85 countries, 3 bodies sign New Delhi Declaration for equitable AI at Summit

S&T – IT

22 FEBRUARY 2026

New Delhi Declaration at AI Impact Summit

• Eighty-five countries and three international organisations signed the New Delhi Declaration at the AI Impact Summit.
• The Declaration was signed a day after the event’s scheduled conclusion, as officials worked to expand participation and ensure broad consensus.
• Major global powers, including the United States and China, endorsed the document.

Sarvajan Hitaya, Sarvajan Sukhaya:

• The government stated that the Declaration is guided by the principle of “Sarvajan Hitaya, Sarvajan Sukhaya” (Welfare for all, Happiness for all).
• It emphasises that the benefits of Artificial Intelligence (AI) must be equitably shared across humanity.

Consensus Model Similar to the G20 Summit

• Like the G20 Summit 2023, the agreement was achieved through non-binding and voluntary commitments.
• The approach focused on achieving consensus rather than imposing mandatory obligations.

Democratising AI: Charter for Democratic Diffusion

• The Declaration introduces a “Charter for the Democratic Diffusion of AI.”
• This Charter is described as a voluntary and non-binding framework.
• Its objectives include:
  • Promoting access to foundational AI resources.
  • Supporting locally relevant innovation.
  • Strengthening resilient AI ecosystems.
  • Respecting national laws while expanding AI access.

Global AI Impact Commons

• The Declaration proposes the creation of a Global AI Impact Commons.
• This initiative is voluntary and aims to showcase AI use cases.
• Governments can draw inspiration from these examples to implement AI solutions suited to their own contexts.

AI Safety, Security, and Trust

• The Declaration acknowledges that advancing secure, trustworthy, and robust AI systems is essential to building public trust.
• It aims to balance innovation with public interest throughout the AI lifecycle.