The two-day event forms part of a global series of ‘Road to AI’ engagements organised by Indian missions worldwide ahead of the India AI Impact Summit 2026…reports Asian Lite News
The Embassy of India in the UAE, in partnership with Symbiosis International University, Dubai, hosted the ‘Road to AI Impact Summit 2026’ on 10–11 February at the Symbiosis Dubai campus in Dubai Knowledge Park, bringing together policymakers, academics and industry leaders to deepen India-UAE collaboration in artificial intelligence.
The two-day event forms part of a global series of ‘Road to AI’ engagements organised by Indian missions worldwide ahead of the India AI Impact Summit 2026, scheduled to take place in New Delhi from 16 to 20 February. The initiative aims to foster international dialogue and build momentum for what is set to be a landmark global gathering on AI in the Global South.
The summit was inaugurated by H.E. Dr Deepak Mittal, Ambassador of India to the UAE. Describing his visit as his first engagement with a university in the UAE, he said interacting with students at Symbiosis Dubai reflected the transformative role AI is playing in shaping new learning ecosystems. He emphasised that the purpose of the summit was to educate, democratise and responsibly harness AI as a force to upskill and reskill the workforce of tomorrow, while strengthening the growing innovation-led partnership between India and the UAE.
Senior academic leaders from Symbiosis International University addressed the gathering, including Pro-Chancellor Dr Vidya Yeravdekar and Vice-Chancellor Dr Ramakrishnan Raman. Dr Vidya Yeravdekar said the institution was honoured to host the summit as a precursor to the global AI event in India. She highlighted ongoing initiatives such as the Symbiosis Artificial Intelligence Institute and the Symbiosis Centre for Applied AI, which aim to embed AI across learning and research frameworks.
The speaker line-up also included representatives from academia and industry across the UAE, among them Prof Hossam Elshenraki of Dubai Police Academy, Dr Hussam Al Hamadi of the University of Dubai and IEEE UAE Section, and executives from technology and AI-focused firms. Discussions centred on ethical AI adoption, digital resilience, industry integration and the need to build future-ready skills.
On the second day, the summit hosted a dedicated AI Hackathon for more than 150 school students, underscoring a shared commitment to nurturing digital talent from an early stage. Organisers said the initiative aligns with India’s broader efforts to develop an inclusive and sustainable AI talent pipeline.
The upcoming India AI Impact Summit 2026 was announced by Narendra Modi at the France AI Action Summit in February 2025. It is expected to bring together global leaders, policymakers, researchers and industry pioneers in New Delhi, marking the first major global AI summit hosted in the Global South.
Symbiosis Dubai itself was inaugurated in November 2024 by Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahyan and S. Jaishankar, symbolising the expanding educational partnership between the two nations. As Dubai positions itself as a hub for innovation, the summit highlighted how education, diplomacy and technology are converging to shape a collaborative AI-driven future.
