Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday reaffirmed India’s commitment to making artificial intelligence inclusive and development-oriented, while strengthening key bilateral and global partnerships during a series of high-level meetings in the national capital.
During his meeting with António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Prime Minister stressed the need for global governance frameworks to ensure artificial intelligence benefits all sections of humanity.
In a post on X, Modi said they discussed making AI inclusive and the constructive role the United Nations could play in achieving that goal. He added that India supports efforts aimed at harnessing AI for the betterment of the planet.
The discussions also covered long-pending reforms in the United Nations system, particularly the need to give greater voice to developing countries and the Global South. India has consistently advocated reforms in global institutions, including expansion of the Security Council, to reflect present-day geopolitical realities.
In another key engagement, Modi met Anura Kumara Dissanayake, President of Sri Lanka, and described the meeting as an opportunity to further strengthen ties with a valued neighbour.
The two leaders reviewed progress in bilateral relations and explored cooperation in sectors such as energy, connectivity, infrastructure, healthcare, skill development, culture and the blue economy. Modi said both sides took stock of recent developments and discussed new avenues to expand cooperation.
India and Sri Lanka share close civilisational, cultural and economic ties, and have been enhancing collaboration in areas such as maritime security, renewable energy and regional connectivity.
The Prime Minister also held talks with Peter Pellegrini, President of Slovakia, focusing on strengthening economic and strategic cooperation.
Modi described the meeting as productive and noted that the proposed India–European Union free trade agreement would create new opportunities to boost trade and investment. Both leaders discussed cooperation in digital technology, startups, digital public infrastructure, defence and space.
These discussions are part of India’s broader effort to deepen engagement with European partners and expand economic integration with the region.
Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister also chaired a roundtable interaction with CEOs of AI and deep-technology startups, highlighting the government’s emphasis on innovation-led growth.
The interaction focused on leveraging emerging technologies to accelerate inclusive development, improve governance and position India as a global leader in digital innovation.
The day’s engagements reflected India’s dual focus on promoting inclusive technological development and strengthening strategic global partnerships, while advocating reforms in international institutions to better represent the developing world.