Brazil’s Lula Declares India the ‘Homeland of Digital Innovation’ at AI Summit 2026

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on Thursday praised India’s hosting of the India AI Impact Summit 2026, calling it the “homeland of the digital world” and emphasising India’s historical contributions to mathematics and computing. Addressing the summit in New Delhi, Lula highlighted India’s legacy in developing the binary system over 2,000 years ago, which underpins modern computing.

Lula said the summit’s location in the Global South was significant, noting that the world faces a critical juncture as the Fourth Industrial Revolution accelerates while multilateralism recedes. He stressed that the global governance of artificial intelligence (AI) is crucial to ensuring equitable development and preventing deepening inequalities.

The Brazilian President cautioned that AI, like aviation, nuclear technology, and genetic engineering, carries both immense potential and significant risks. He noted that algorithms are embedded in complex power structures and warned that without collective, inclusive action, AI could exacerbate historical social and economic disparities.

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He advocated for a multilateral and development-oriented global governance framework for AI under the United Nations, highlighting Brazil’s participation in initiatives led by BRICS, the G7-backed Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence, and China’s international AI cooperation proposal. Lula emphasised that UN-led frameworks remain the most universal and inclusive approach.

President Lula also spotlighted Brazil’s domestic AI initiatives, including the Brazilian Artificial Intelligence Plan launched in 2025, which aims to enhance public services, generate employment, and improve quality of life. He noted that the Brazilian Congress is currently discussing regulatory policies for AI and strategies to attract investment in data centres.

In addition to the summit, Lula highlighted the strengthening of India-Brazil strategic ties, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Brazil last year. Bilateral trade between the two nations exceeded $15 billion in 2025, and a high-level Brazilian business delegation accompanied the President to expand commercial relations. Lula will also hold bilateral talks with PM Modi on February 21 to further enhance cooperation in technology, trade, and innovation.

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