- Shared commitment on responsible technology
New Delhi. Parallel to the India AI Impact Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held separate bilateral talks with the top leadership of four European countries – Croatia, Serbia, Spain and Finland – indicating that artificial intelligence has now become the new strategic pillar of India’s foreign policy. The focus of these meetings was not just technical cooperation, but a broader agenda spanning trade, investment, climate action and education. In the talks with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, there was detailed discussion on enhancing partnership in emerging areas like artificial intelligence, information and communication technology, innovation and clean energy.
Both countries recognized that digital transformation and green energy are decisive areas of future global competitiveness. It was also agreed to increase cooperation towards early finalization of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement. Prime Minister Modi described the growing interest in Indian culture, yoga and Ayurveda in Croatia as a cultural bridge between the two countries.
In the meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, emphasis was laid on transforming traditional friendship into new technical partnership. Possibilities to expand cooperation in trade and investment as well as AI, financial technology, education, agriculture and tourism were discussed. The two leaders agreed that emerging technologies are not only a means of economic development but also a means of improving the quality of life of the people. The need to increase coordination on regional and global issues was also stressed.
In talks with Spanish President Pedro Sanchez, priority was given to implementation-based partnerships on health, education, innovation and climate change along with economic cooperation. Both countries reiterated their commitment to work together to achieve green technology and sustainable development goals. Prime Minister Modi appreciated Spain’s active role in strengthening India-EU relations. This made it clear that India is viewing its relations with Europe not only in the bilateral framework, but in the broader regional framework.
Sustainability, digitalization and AI research were the main topics in talks with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo. The consensus of both countries on the development of ethical and responsible AI holds special importance. Finland is considered an emerging hub of AI innovation and India expressed its desire to take cooperation in this field to new heights. It was also discussed in the meeting that Indian talent and Finland’s technical expertise can together develop globally competitive solutions.
The common message of all these meetings was that India wants to strengthen its role on the global stage through technology-based partnerships. The AI Impact Summit, the fourth such conference in the world, has established India as a platform where critical discussions on the future of technology, policy and ethics are taking place. Earlier, AI Security Summit was held in Bletchley Park, Britain in 2023, AI Soul Summit in South Korea in 2024 and AI Implementation Summit in Paris, the capital of France in 2025.
The conference being held in New Delhi is based on the three pillars of ‘People, Planet and Progress’, which underlines that technological development should not be limited to economic growth alone, but should also be linked to social inclusion and environmental balance. Prime Minister Modi’s frequent meetings with European leaders made it clear that India is viewing AI not just as a means of domestic change but as a global diplomatic bridge.
Overall, these talks have given new energy to India-Europe relations. Through a shared agenda of AI, green energy and innovation, India has sent the message that it is ready to play a leading role in the economy of the future. This diplomacy, being done keeping technology at the center, can further strengthen India’s global position in the coming years.
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