Sebastien Pillay, Vice President of Seychelles, arrived in India on Wednesday to participate in the global India AI Impact Summit 2026 being held in the national capital. He was welcomed at the airport by Raj Bhushan Choudhary, Minister of State for Jal Shakti. The Ministry of External Affairs shared details of his arrival on X, extending a warm welcome and emphasizing the strong and enduring maritime partnership between India and Seychelles. The ministry noted that Seychelles’ participation in the summit presents an important opportunity to leverage artificial intelligence for mutual benefit and further deepen bilateral ties.

Earlier in the day, several global leaders also reached New Delhi to attend the summit. These included Navinchandra Ramgoolam, Prime Minister of Mauritius; Pedro Sánchez, Prime Minister of Spain; Petteri Orpo, Prime Minister of Finland; and Ebba Busch, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Business and Industry of Sweden.

The India AI Impact Summit 2026 is being hosted at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The event began on February 16 and will continue until February 20, 2026. It has brought together government representatives, AI industry leaders, academic experts, technology innovators, and members of civil society from around the world to advance international dialogue on artificial intelligence.

As the first global AI summit to be hosted in the Global South, the event aims to highlight the transformative potential of AI in alignment with the vision of inclusive welfare and global principles centered on AI for humanity. The summit is witnessing participation from over 110 countries and 30 international organizations, with around 20 heads of state or government and approximately 45 ministers in attendance.

The summit is part of a broader international effort to enhance global cooperation on AI governance, safety, and its societal implications. It is guided by three core pillars—People, Planet, and Progress—which focus on promoting human-centric AI, ensuring environmental sustainability, protecting rights, and supporting inclusive technological and economic growth worldwide.