Goa’s AI push draws global interest at Delhi summit

IT Minister Rohan Khaunte with the Goa delegation at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi.

PANAJI
Goa’s push to position itself as a hub for artificial intelligence drew global interest at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, with its pavilion attracting strong engagement from international delegates, industry leaders and technology stakeholders.
The Goa pavilion, set up by the Department of Information Technology, Electronics and Communications (DITE&C) under the Goa AI Mission 2027, recorded more than 200 visitors during the six-day summit at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, officials said.
A Goa delegation led by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and IT Minister Rohan Khaunte attended the summit along with senior officials, engaging with industry leaders and global technology stakeholders. Five startups from the coastal state also showcased innovations and emerging technologies at the pavilion.
Delegates from France, Sweden, Japan, Cambodia, Canada, the United States, Ghana and Cuba, as well as representatives from the British High Commission and national organisations, visited the pavilion and held discussions on Goa’s growing AI ecosystem and deep-tech initiatives.
Visitors explored the state’s approach to responsible AI adoption, startup support and industry-academia collaboration.
Lal Chand Mangal, Scientist and Director General at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), who visited the pavilion, said: “This is an interesting development. Phosic India Pvt. Ltd. has developed hyperspectral imaging technology with tremendous applications for homeland security as well as defence. We’re exploring the customisation of this indigenous technology for our military applications. In that direction, I have invited the team to my office for further interaction and discussion.”
Manisha Desai, a visitor to the summit, said she was pleased to see Goa represented. “I was excited to see the booth representing my state and the AI innovations on display. After exploring the module, I was particularly impressed by the new AI chatbot feature, which allows us to easily access the site (GoaOnline portal), understand our queries and get quick responses within seconds.”
Startups from Goa said the summit provided valuable exposure and networking opportunities. Siddharth Manjrekar and Sarvesh Patkar from Frover Labs Pvt. Ltd. said: “We’ve built Celly, a GTM (Go-to-Market) tool specifically designed for B2B startups. Thanks to Goa’s SITPC, we were able to represent our startup under the Goa state section at the event. We’re extremely grateful for this opportunity, as it has provided us with tremendous exposure, both in terms of visibility and the quality of connections we’ve made. From the daytime sessions to the post-event mixers, we’ve met a highly credible set of people and the experience has been truly invaluable.”
Gaurish Datta Pangam of DivvyUp and Grow echoed similar views, saying: “I’ve had the chance to meet industry leaders across AI, from security and manufacturing to enterprise solutions. Many of them have shown genuine interest in the work we’ve done previously for enterprises, seeking solutions that can be applied not just in India, but also in the USA and Canada. I also connected with media companies interested in leveraging AI for television and content creation. Beyond business opportunities, interacting with CEOs from companies and policy makers supporting the AI ecosystem has been incredibly valuable.”
Officials said interactions at the summit had opened new opportunities for collaboration and strengthened Goa’s positioning as an emerging centre for artificial intelligence and technology.