From AI Race to AI Commons: How the New Delhi Declaration Turned Global Ambition Into a Shared AI Agenda

From AI Race to AI Commons: The New Delhi Declaration’s Big Global Signal

The New Delhi Declaration has emerged as a major statement of global intent on artificial intelligence, with the Indian government saying it was endorsed by 91 countries and international organisations after the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi on 18–19 February 2026.[1] Rather than acting as a binding treaty, the declaration sets out a shared international direction for AI built around inclusion, trust, access, safety, scientific cooperation and public benefit.[1][4]

What makes the declaration especially notable is who showed up around it. India hosted the first summit of this kind in the developing world, bringing together world leaders, policymakers, researchers and major technology firms at a moment when AI governance is increasingly shaped by geopolitical competition.[2][3] Against that backdrop, the New Delhi Declaration offered a different message: AI should not be defined only by the race to build the most powerful systems, but also by how widely its benefits are shared.

The declaration organizes its vision around broad priorities that include democratizing access to AI resources, supporting economic growth and social good, building secure and trusted AI, advancing AI for science, expanding human capacity and skills, and promoting resilient, efficient AI systems.[1] In practical terms, it points toward voluntary cooperation platforms, shared tools, and cross-border efforts to make AI more accessible and useful beyond a handful of countries and companies.[1]

Its importance is therefore political as much as technical. The declaration does not impose binding legal obligations, but it does show that a large and diverse group of governments and organisations can still align on core principles for responsible and inclusive AI.[1][4] In a debate often framed as a contest for dominance, New Delhi pushed a broader idea into the center of the conversation: the future of AI will also be judged by trust, fairness, access and real-world public value.

Sources

[1] Ministry of External Affairs, “AI Impact Summit 2026 Concludes with Adoption of New Delhi Declaration” (21 February 2026).
[2] Reuters, “From OpenAI to Google, India hosts global AI summit” (16 February 2026).
[3] AP News, “India hosts a high-stakes AI summit in New Delhi” (February 2026).
[4] Nature India, “Global leaders endorse Delhi Declaration on safe and responsible AI” (21 February 2026).