The Rajasthan Regional AI Impact Conference, held on January 6, 2026, marked a major step in India’s journey towards inclusive, responsible, and large-scale adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Bringing together national and state leadership, policymakers, industry leaders, startups, and academia, the conference served as a regional precursor to the India AI Impact Summit 2026, scheduled from February 15–20, 2026.
The event underscored strong Centre–State collaboration in positioning Rajasthan as a key contributor to India’s AI-led growth and governance transformation.
High-Level Participation Highlights Centre–State Synergy
The conference was attended by Bhajan Lal Sharma, Chief Minister of Rajasthan; Ashwini Vaishnaw, Union Minister for Electronics & Information Technology (virtually); Jitin Prasada, Minister of State for Electronics & IT; and Rajyavardhan Rathore, Rajasthan Cabinet Minister for IT & Communication, along with senior officials from MeitY and the Government of Rajasthan.
Programme Launched to Train One Million Youth in AI Skills
Addressing the gathering, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw described AI as the next transformational force, comparable in scale to electricity, computers, the internet, and mobile technology. He announced the launch of a national programme to train one million young people in AI skills, aligned with the Prime Minister’s vision of democratising technology so that AI-powered intelligence reaches every household, enterprise, and citizen.
₹10,000 Crore IndiaAI Mission for Inclusive Growth
Shri Jitin Prasada highlighted the Government of India’s commitment of ₹10,000 crore under the IndiaAI Mission, aimed at deploying AI across agriculture, healthcare, education, environment, and governance. He emphasised that responsible and inclusive AI adoption will help increase incomes, improve ease of living, and enhance national productivity.
Rajasthan’s Push Towards AI-Led Governance
Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma stated that Rajasthan is moving beyond e-governance towards becoming a leader in AI and machine learning. He announced the introduction of the Rajasthan AI & ML Policy 2026, aimed at ensuring transparent, fair, and accountable AI systems, improving public service delivery, strengthening administrative efficiency, and fostering innovation-driven economic growth.
Key National and State-Level AI Initiatives Launched
A major highlight of the conference was the launch of several flagship initiatives:
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YUVA AI for All – National AI Literacy Programme: Led by the IndiaAI Mission under MeitY, this initiative aims to build foundational AI awareness among students and youth nationwide through a short, self-paced AI 101 course, anchored around National Youth Day (January 12).
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Rajasthan AI/ML Policy 2026 and Rajasthan AI Portal, focusing on governance, research, innovation, and high-value employment generation.
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iStart Learning Management System (LMS) to support skill development, startups, and entrepreneurship.
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Rajasthan AVGC-XR Portal, strengthening the Animation, VFX, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality ecosystem, alongside the unveiling of an AI-themed vision video.
Strategic Partnerships and Global Industry Engagement
To strengthen institutional collaboration, MoUs were signed with Google, IIT Delhi, National Law University Jodhpur, and the Wadhwani Foundation, focusing on AI research, skilling, ethical frameworks, and innovation ecosystems.
A high-level strategic dialogue featured Abhishek Singh, CEO, IndiaAI Mission, in conversation with Vishal Dhupar, NVIDIA South Asia, examining AI infrastructure democratisation, public–private collaboration, and the creation of a global AI safety commons.
Thought Leadership and Thematic Sessions
An overview of the IndiaAI Mission and the India AI Impact Summit 2026 was presented by Kavita Bhatia, MeitY and COO, IndiaAI Mission.
The conference also featured expert sessions on global, national, and regional AI perspectives, delivered by Avinash Sharma, and parallel discussions on AI applications in governance, infrastructure, innovation, ethics, and employment.
Conclusion
The Rajasthan Regional AI Impact Conference emerged as a key regional milestone ahead of the India AI Impact Summit 2026. By combining policy vision, large-scale skilling, institutional partnerships, and industry engagement, the conference reinforced India’s commitment to leveraging AI for public good, inclusive growth, and sustainable development, with Rajasthan positioned as a leading hub in the nation’s AI transformation journey.
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Source: PIB
