Exploring Global AI Policy Priorities Ahead of the India AI Impact Summit

January 30, 2026 • 8:40 am – 2:00 pm EST

Please note that the start time for this event has been changed to 8:40 AM ET.

Since 2023, a series of global summits has brought together world leaders, industry, and civil society to advance international cooperation and collaboration on artificial intelligence. In February 2026, India will host the AI Impact Summit, marking the first time an AI summit is held in the Global South. As this event approaches, conversations around international AI priorities are intensifying, with India positioned to play a central role in shaping next steps.

Please join CSIS's Wadhwani AI Center and the Chair on India and Emerging Asia Economics for “Exploring Global AI Policy Priorities Ahead of the India AI Impact Summit,” on January 30, 2026. This Official Pre-Summit Event of the AI Impact Summit 2026 will take place at CSIS from 8:40 AM ET to 2:00 PM ET and will convene leading voices in AI to explore India’s goals for the upcoming AI Impact Summit and expert perspectives on the future of global AI policy. 

The conference will feature Ambassador Vinay Kwatra of India and Ambassador Laurent Bili of France for a conversation situating the AI Impact Summit within the momentum created by the Paris AI Action Summit, which France and India co-hosted in Paris in February 2025. Panel discussions will also focus on domestic and global AI policy agendas, industry perspectives on governance and innovation, and AI-driven development initiatives in the Global South. 

Kindly register via the Register Tab to attend in person. Please note that registration alone does not guarantee entry. A confirmation email from CSIS is required for attendance. Seating is limited and offered on a first-come, first-served basis for confirmed participants.

This event is made possible by the generous support of Fathom.

Conference Agenda


Registration and Coffee

8:15 am

Welcoming Remarks

8:40 am

Dr. John J. Hamre - President and CEO, Center for Strategic and International Studies

Keynote Speech

8:45 am

Dr. Romesh Wadhwani - Founder and Chairman, SymphonyAI

Panel 1 - Reflections on Paris and Prospects for New Delhi

9:20 am

Speakers:

Laurent Bili – Ambassador of France to the United States

Vinay Kwatra – Ambassador of India to the United States

 

Moderator: Gregory C. Allen, Senior Adviser, Wadhwani AI Center at CSIS

Coffee Break

10:00 am

Panel 2 - Unpacking the Global Challenges and Opportunities for AI Governance

10:30 am

Speakers:

Dean Ball – Senior Fellow, Foundation for American Innovation

Russ Headlee - Senior Bureau Official, U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy

Shana Mansbach – VP of Strategy and Communications, Fathom

 

Moderator: Aalok Mehta, Director, Wadhwani AI Center at CSIS

Panel 3 - Industry Perspectives on AI Innovation in India

11:20 am

Speakers:

Khalil Gharbieh – Senior Director of Trade Policy, Microsoft 

Poornima Shenoy – U.S. Representative, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry

David Weller - Senior Director of Emerging Tech, Competitiveness & Sustainability Policy, Google

 

Moderator: Rick Rossow, Senior Adviser and Chair, Chair in India and Emerging Asia Economics at CSIS

 

Closing Keynote

12:10 pm

Navin Girishankar - President, Economic Security and Technology Department at CSIS

Closing Remarks

12:20 pm

Gregory C. Allen - Senior Adviser, Wadhwani AI Center at CSIS

Lunch and Networking

12:30 pm

Contact Information

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John J. Hamre
CSIS President and CEO, and Langone Chair in American Leadership
Senior Fellow, Foundation for American Innovation
Senior Bureau Official, Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy, U.S. Department of State

Khalil Gharbieh

Senior Director of Trade Policy, Microsoft

Poornima Shenoy

U.S. Representative, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry

David Weller

Senior Director of Emerging Tech, Competitiveness & Sustainability Policy, Google