- On February 19, 2026, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, the Delhi Declaration was adopted at the AI Impact Summit 2026, likened to the “Magna Carta of AI.” (Magna Carta, Latin for “Great Charter,” is a historical document signed in 1215 in England. It was an agreement between King John of England and rebel barons to limit the king’s power and protect certain basic rights of subjects. Today, when a document is called the “Magna Carta of a certain field,” it implies a historical milestone setting the foundational principles for a whole new era).
- Unlike previous conferences at Bletchley Park or Seoul focused on the existential risks of advanced AI models, the New Delhi framework emphasizes development, equity, and growth.
- This is the first major global AI governance blueprint originating from Global South nations, centering on inclusivity and data sovereignty.
- The declaration builds on a “techno-legal” approach, avoiding rigid laws in favor of 7 flexible “Sutras”:
- Trust as the Foundation: Ensuring AI is trustworthy and secure.
- People First: Prioritizing human dignity and agency.
- Innovation over Restraint: Promoting responsible growth rather than prohibition.
- Fairness and Equity: Reducing Western language and data bias.
- Accountability: Establishing clear legal liability.
- Understandable by Design: Transparency, avoiding “black boxes.”
- Safety and Sustainability: Balancing performance with environmental impact.
- The declaration opposes “AI Extractivism,” the exploitation of data from developing countries to sell AI products back to them.
- It promotes Data Sovereignty and the development of Sovereign AI linked with Digital Public Infrastructure.
- Three action priorities include:
- People: Population-scale AI solutions like BharatGen supporting 22 languages.
- Planet: Promoting Green AI and climate data sharing.
- Progress: Proposing a “Compute Bank,” inspired by a subsidized GPU program at 65 rupees/hour (about $0.78/hour).
📌 The Delhi Declaration on February 19, 2026, marks a turning point as Global South nations lead AI governance with 7 flexible principles, opposing data extractivism from developing countries to resell AI products to them, and promoting sovereign AI. With the Compute Bank initiative at $0.78/hour and the 22-language BharatGen model, this framework combines innovation, equity, and sustainability, opening a new AI order no longer revolving solely around the US or Europe.
