About the Session

As global AI debates increasingly centre on risk regulation, frontier model governance, and safety benchmarks, countries across the Global South are asking a structurally different question: how can AI be shaped to serve development, public institutions, and inclusive growth?

On 17 February 2026, the Indian Governance and Policy Project (IGAP), in collaboration with Evam Law and Policy, convened a high-level session titled “AI for the Global South: From Governance to Inclusion” at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, as part of the India AI Summit. The session brought together policymakers and multilateral representatives to examine how developing economies are approaching AI governance — not solely as a matter of risk management, but as a question of development strategy and institutional capacity.

Participants

Moderator: Trisha Ray, Associate Director, Geo-Tech Center, Atlantic Council

Speakers:

• S. Niranjan Reddy, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, India
• Dr. Sasmit Patra, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, India
• Amb. Eugênio Vargas Garcia, Tech Ambassador & Director, DCT, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brazil
• Amb. Dr. Lavina Ramkissoon, Co-Chair, African Union-ASRIC
• Dr. Mehdi Snene, Head of AI and Digital Program, United Nations

Key Themes

Development-first AI governance
Speakers across perspectives reflected on the importance of AI governance frameworks that actively support, rather than constrain, development priorities. Practical, scalable applications in agriculture, healthcare, financial inclusion, and public service delivery were identified as central to how many Global South countries are approaching AI adoption.

Digital Public Infrastructure as an AI enabler
India’s digital stack emerged as a reference point for how Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) can serve as a foundation for deploying AI at scale in ways that are contextually appropriate and publicly accountable. The discussion explored how DPI can enable last-mile delivery and improve access to AI-powered services across underserved populations.

Sovereignty, capacity, and international cooperation
The session examined tensions between strengthening domestic AI capabilities and maintaining openness to cross-border collaboration. Speakers highlighted the need for governance frameworks flexible enough to support innovation while remaining grounded in national development priorities and institutional realities.

Trust and real-world outcomes
A recurring theme across the discussion was the importance of grounding AI deployment in measurable outcomes and genuine institutional capacity, moving beyond adoption metrics toward questions of sustained utility, trust, and long-term public benefit.

Takeaway

The session reflected a significant moment in global AI discourse: an increasing recognition that for much of the world, AI governance is not only a matter of managing harm, but of actively shaping technology to expand opportunity, strengthen public institutions, and support equitable development. As international AI governance frameworks continue to evolve, centering the priorities of the Global South will be essential to ensuring these frameworks are both legitimate and fit for purpose.