All-in on AI
Byline: Ravi Kiran
Bangalore’s artificial intelligence ambitions took centre stage in New Delhi midweek, as Karnataka showcased its growing clout in AI and deep technology at the India AI Impact Summit 2026. The state arrived at the summit with a clear message – it is already ahead in the AI race.
Minister for Electronics, IT, Biotechnology and Science & Technology Priyank Kharge presented Karnataka’s AI credentials before global industry leaders, researchers and investors, asserting that State continues to maintain a leading position in AI and is emerging as a key hub for innovation-driven growth.
He underscored that Bangalore remains one of the top global destinations for AI talent. The state government, he said, is encouraging startups by providing grants of up to Rs 1 crore.
“Karnataka is ahead of the curve when it comes to AI. We are already home to leading global AI players such as Harvey AI and Anthropic, and The Walt Disney Company is expanding its AI network in Bangalore,” he said.
During the summit, the Minister held extensive discussions with global industry leaders, researchers and startup founders on technology partnerships and innovation opportunities. He also met high-level delegations from Finland and Cyprus to explore avenues for cooperation.
Kharge visited the Karnataka Pavilion and the ARTPARK Pavilion, interacting with startup heads and ecosystem leaders, reinforcing the state’s pitch as India’s AI capital.
The deals
Beyond speeches and panels, Karnataka moved swiftly on the deal-making front. A major highlight was the signing of a Letter of Intent (LoI) with VivaTech, Europe’s largest startup and innovation event, to create a structured Europe–India startup corridor anchored by the Bengaluru Tech Summit.
The LoI was signed by Rahul Sharanappa Sankanur, Managing Director of the Karnataka Innovation and Technology Society (KITS), in the presence of Kharge and Manjula N.
Kharge added that the collaboration would help forge a long-term technology partnership between France and Bangalore, especially in the backdrop of the India-France Year of Innovation 2026.
Karnataka also convened a high-level roundtable with Business France focused on AI, emerging technologies and next-generation Global Capability Centres (GCCs). This was followed by a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between KITS and Link Innovation to strengthen Karnataka–France innovation cooperation.
Discussions centred on AI-first, R&D-led GCCs, joint research, startup collaboration and industry-academia partnerships.
In another significant move, Karnataka signed a LoI with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Katowice and Kato.hub sp. z o.o. to establish a Karnataka–Katowice Digital and Gaming Corridor. The partnership will cover collaboration in artificial intelligence, deep tech, gaming and immersive technologies, startup exchanges, joint R&D programmes and pilot projects. A joint task force will develop the implementation roadmap.
“Karnataka remains committed to building strong, outcome-oriented global partnerships in emerging technologies,” Manjula said.
On the US front, Kharge attended a roundtable organised by the US-India Business Council (USIBC), focusing on technology collaboration, investment partnerships and innovation-led growth.
“At the meeting, we reiterated the state government’s commitment to providing a conducive environment for American companies to expand their operations and drive innovation in Bangalore,” Kharge said.
“USIBC has been a great partner in building bridges with American companies, and we have worked extensively together, including during the Tech Summit, to ensure meaningful collaborations between our two ecosystems,” he added.
Healthcare technology also featured prominently. Kharge witnessed the signing of an agreement between H Company and St. John’s Medical College and St. John’s Research Institute, Bangalore, for the pilot implementation of advanced enterprise AI solutions in hospital operations and workflow automation.
Another key engagement was Kharge’s meeting with Anthropic Co-founder and CEO Dario Amodei. He met Amodei along with Anthropic’s India Managing Director Irina Ghose and Bangalore-raised Chief Technology Officer Rahul Patil.
Discussions focused on responsible AI, digital governance, data sovereignty and a structured approach to skilling, incubation and innovation support for AI startups and developers. The conversation also covered Anthropic’s plans for its Bangalore office and potential areas of partnership with the Karnataka government.
Anthropic considers India its second-largest user base for its Claude AI assistant, with its revenue run-rate in the country having doubled over the past four months.
Looking ahead
With multiple international cooperation agreements signed and advanced talks held with global AI companies, Karnataka’s strategy is clear – build scale, build trust and build global bridges.
From France to Poland, and from US boardrooms to Bangalore hospitals, the state used the India AI Impact Summit 2026 to push a vision of responsible AI, deep-tech innovation and cross-border startup expansion.
The broader goal, as articulated at the summit, is to position Karnataka as a leading global hub for AI by fostering collaboration with international technology companies and strengthening support for startups and research institutions.
If the summit was any indication, Karnataka is not merely participating in the AI conversation; it is determined to shape it, from Bengaluru to the world stage.