India AI Impact Summit 2026 | The AI Impact Expo at Bharat Mandapam will remain closed to the public on Thursday, February 19, as part of heightened security arrangements for high-profile VIP movements and the Leaders’ Plenary at the India AI Impact Summit 2026.
S. Krishnan, Secretary at the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), announced the revised schedule on Wednesday, confirming that access to the venue will be restricted to invited dignitaries, official delegates and accredited media for the day.
“The surge in enthusiasm is phenomenal, but tomorrow requires a secured environment for our international conventions and security events,” Krishnan said. “We want to make this announcement sufficiently clear so that the media can handle it and the public is not inconvenienced.”
In a move to accommodate unprecedented public interest, organisers have extended the AI Impact Expo by an additional day. The exhibition will now continue until Saturday, February 21, giving students, startups and technology enthusiasts extra time to explore the showcase.
The expo area will reopen to all registered delegates and the general public at 11:00 AM on Friday, February 20, and run through the newly added Saturday session. Additionally, daily exhibition hours have been extended to 8:00 PM, effective immediately, to ensure attendees have adequate time to visit the stalls and interactive installations.
The schedule overhaul follows a record-breaking turnout on Tuesday, when nearly 250,000 visitors attended the summit, marking one of the largest gatherings for a technology event in the country.
On February 19, several global leaders, top technology CEOs and senior government officials are expected to attend closed-door sessions and the formal Leaders’ Plenary, prompting enhanced security protocols at Bharat Mandapam.
Officials said the revised plan is designed to balance security imperatives with public access, ensuring smooth movement for dignitaries while still allowing thousands of registered participants to experience India’s flagship AI showcase later this week.
