Asia

Clerics call for justice, transparent probes to address Balochist

The remarks were made at a joint press conference following a seminar titled "Restoring Peace in Balochistan and Confidence-Building: The Institutional Responsibilities of Ulema and Mashaykh," as reported by Dawn.

2026-02-19T08:34:44.915816+00:00 IST

"India, Swiss share common AI values": SNSF President Schwede

Swiss President Guy Parmelin and SNSF President Torsten Schwede praised PM Modi's human-centric AI vision. Backing the "People, Progress, Planet" framework, they highlighted shared values in responsible AI. Switzerland aims to deepen collaboration with India, integrating the "Delhi Principles" into upcoming global dialogues in Geneva and beyond.

2026-02-19T08:00:16.322388+00:00 IST

"India's leadership in Sovereign AI great to watch," says Sam

"India, the world's largest democracy, is well-positioned to lead in AI, not just to build it, but to shape it and decide what our future's going to look like. And it's important to move quickly. On our current trajectory, we believe we may be only a couple of years away from early versions of true superintelligence. If we are right, by the end of 2028, more of the world's intellectual capacity could reside inside of data centers than outside of them."

2026-02-19T07:58:23.358239+00:00 IST

PM Modi invokes Lord Buddha’s teachings for global AI roadmap

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged global cooperation at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, calling AI a major opportunity for humanity. He stressed "right action" and timely decisions, invoked Lord Buddha's teachings, and cited COVID-19 collaboration as proof that collective efforts can address global challenges effectively.

2026-02-19T07:38:19.857446+00:00 IST

AI Summit 2026: Sam Altman hails India as global AI leader

"It is amazing to be here, obviously the work happening in India and the adoption of AI is leading the world, and I can't wait to see what goes next," Altman told ANI.

2026-02-19T07:16:34.298418+00:00 IST

Pak: Gul Plaza fire probe reveals safety and response failures

Fresh disclosures before the judicial commission on the Gul Plaza fire pointed to major failures in emergency preparedness and response. Testimony cited missing safety systems, delayed fire engines, extreme blaze conditions, and poor inter-agency coordination. The probe is examining whether systemic negligence and inadequate infrastructure worsened the scale of the tragedy.

2026-02-19T07:15:49.195483+00:00 IST

“We are glad PM Modi will be visiting Israel”

In an exclusive interview with ANI, on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address, he said, "Prime Minister Modi has set the vision for the future, it's not the vision just for India, but the vision for the future of AI as a tool to serve humanity. We do believe that India and Israel, joint forces with the capacity, with the capabilities, and with the energy that both nations have, we can be a huge engine, a positive engine for the future of AI, and of course, to contribute to the benefit and for the progress of humanity in the future."

2026-02-19T07:13:52.540274+00:00 IST

AI's "humble beginnings" to scientific discovery: Demis Hassabis

Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis praised PM Modi for convening the AI summit at a "pivotal moment." Reflecting on AI's journey from a 2010 "dream" to reality, he emphasized his lifelong passion for using the technology to accelerate international cooperation and "advance scientific discovery" for the benefit of humanity.

2026-02-19T06:58:35.509841+00:00 IST

Pakistan: Protest held over disputed police encounter in Karachi

Families of Baloch missing persons protested outside the Karachi Press Club, alleging a student, Hamdan Baloch, was killed in a staged police encounter after enforced disappearance. The family disputed CTD's claims and demanded the body's release. The Baloch Yakjehti Committee called for a criminal case, autopsy, and judicial inquiry.

2026-02-19T06:24:32.396243+00:00 IST

Bangladesh PM Tarique Rahman outlines 180-day priority plan

In this plan, he has focused on four key areas. First, he aims to improve the law and order situation. Second, he plans to control the prices of essential goods. Third, he has emphasized ensuring uninterrupted electricity and gas supplies, as well as reducing the cost of living. Fourth, he stated that public transport, especially the railway system, must be improved for better connectivity. In addition, he strongly directed efforts toward fighting corruption.

2026-02-19T06:02:53.985429+00:00 IST

"While some see fear in AI, India finds its future in it," says PM Modi at AI Impact Summit 2026

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed confidence in India's AI-driven future at the India AI Impact Summit 2026. He highlighted AI's rapid growth, stressed ethical responsibility, called for skilling and reskilling, advocated democratisation of AI for the Global South, and urged global standards to address risks such as deepfakes.

2026-02-19T05:56:44.685619+00:00 IST

"AI needs to be democratic for all," says PM Modi

The Prime Minister highlighted how using AI sovereignly can help build a better nation and said that it was key to understand what we can do with AI in the present

2026-02-19T05:29:53.256421+00:00 IST

PM Modi joins world leaders for ‘family photo’ at India AI Impact

PM Modi joined world leaders and tech titans, including Sundar Pichai and Sam Altman, for a historic "family photo" at Bharat Mandapam. This group photograph at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 served as a powerful prelude to high-level global deliberations on the future of human-centric technology.

2026-02-19T05:25:27.597597+00:00 IST

Macron lauds India’s digital transformation at AI Impact Summit

French President Emmanuel Macron praised India's digital transformation at the India AI Impact Summit 2026. He highlighted advances in digital identity, payments, and health IDs, noting their impact on financial inclusion. Macron described India's progress as globally unmatched and emphasised that the world is entering a phase of rapid technological acceleration.

2026-02-19T05:16:20.561869+00:00 IST

French President Macron addresses India AI Impact Summit

He said, "Ten years ago, a street vendor cannot open a bank account in Mumbai but today he can accept payments online. No address, no papers, no access and today the same vendor accepts payments on his phone India has built something no other country has built, a digital identity for 1.4 billion people."

2026-02-19T05:06:44.521424+00:00 IST

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei says India has key role to play in AI

Amodei said, "The energy and ambition in this room are incredible. I have been spending the last few days meeting with leaders and enterprises. This is the fourth AI Summit we've held. In the last 2.5 years the advances in these technology have been staggering. My fundamental view is that AI has been in on for the last years."

2026-02-19T04:44:12.613307+00:00 IST

"Google is establishing a full-stack AI hub": Sundar Pichai

Sundar Pichai addressed the India AI Impact Summit 2026, recalling his student journey and highlighting India's rapid transformation. He announced Google's full-stack AI hub in Visakhapatnam as part of a USD 15 billion investment, featuring large-scale compute capacity and a subsea cable gateway to boost jobs and AI innovation.

2026-02-19T04:42:58.742041+00:00 IST

PM Modi and President Lula share warm bonhomie at AI Summit

PM Modi and Brazilian President Lula shared a warm bonhomie at the India AI Impact Summit 2026. The summit, themed 'Sarvajan Hitay, Sarvajan Sukhay,' features global leaders and tech CEOs discussing inclusive AI, anchored by the pillars of people, planet, and progress at Bharat Mandapam.

2026-02-19T04:12:05.386168+00:00 IST

US Envoy to India Sergio Gor attends India AI Impact Summit 2026

Earlier, the US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF) on Wednesday hosted Gor, for a high-level closed-door luncheon at the India AI Impact Summit 2026.

2026-02-19T03:59:52.677519+00:00 IST

Bill Gates to skip AI Impact Summit keynote; Ankur Vora to represent foundation

Bill Gates has cancelled his keynote address at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 to ensure the focus remains on the event's priorities. Ankur Vora will represent the Gates Foundation, which reaffirmed its commitment to advancing health and development goals in India.

2026-02-19T03:25:17.328833+00:00 IST

Pak SC issues notice to ECP over Imran Khan’s electoral ban

Pakistan's Supreme Court issued a notice to the Election Commission over Imran Khan's five-year electoral ban linked to the Toshakhana case. Judges examined legal arguments on suspended sentences versus convictions. Proceedings were deferred indefinitely. Hearings in the cipher case and a defamation suit involving Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Shehbaz Sharif were adjourned.

2026-02-19T02:59:45.795027+00:00 IST