India’s AI Impact Summit in the capital promised to be the event for global tech leaders and deep tech heavyweights. With a massive venue, next-gen discussions, state-of-the-art setups, and, of course, the elephant in the room—AI—expectations were sky-high.
But the opening day had other plans.
Day one of the summit descended into chaos, turning the high-tech dream into a very messy, very human spectacle.
Chaos at the gates
“Mismanagement happened because the PM was coming, and everyone else was not treated well,” Prashant Maurya, Co-Founder and Chief Executive of SpheronAI, an artificial intelligence firm told Firstpost. Maurya explained that he was unable to enter the venue due to a complete lack of communication and coordination, which left exhibitors and attendees stranded and confused during the summit’s opening hours.
To make matters worse, exhibition halls at Bharat Mandapam were cleared, and exhibitors were restricted from their stalls for several hours ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit.
“I arrived around 12pm only to find the gates closed. No clear communication, no alternative entry guidance. Even team members who had stalls inside were stopped and left standing outside,” added Maurya. “Better to learn from how NVIDIA GTC, the Dubai Trade Fest, or other summits are organised.”
Exhibitors left in limbo
As if that wasn’t enough, many exhibitors reported being asked to quickly evacuate for the PM’s arrival without guidance on where to go next or where to find water and refreshments.
“We didn’t know which gate to enter, which gate would be close to which hall. There was no guidance from security personnel, no signboards, which led to wasted time,” said Nishtha Tiwari from SmoothAI Pvt Ltd, whose stall was set up at the summit.
Another exhibitor, who wished to remain unnamed, added, “The booth our company was given was not in a great shape. They could have taken care of the basic amenities.” Fortunately, she noted that the second day ran far more smoothly in terms of crowd management.
How AI devices vanished into thin air
Beyond inconvenience, things got worse.
Dhananjay Yadav, CEO of Neo Sapiens, a company making wearable AI devices, told Firstpost that several of the wearable devices displayed at his booth were stolen amid the summit’s chaotic first day.
“I wanted to show up personally to support the ecosystem and the government’s push. But what happened next was shocking,” he said.
According to Yadav, security began clearing the area at noon on Day 1 to prepare for PM Modi’s visit at 2pm. Despite his attempts, he was told to leave his devices behind, trusting security’s assurances. When he returned hours later, the wearables had disappeared.
Day 1 of the AI Impact Summit turned to be a pain for us.
I came genuinely excited, it was the first time the summit was being hosted in India, and I wanted to show up personally to support the ecosystem and the government’s push.
But what happened next was shocking.
At 12… pic.twitter.com/9gVygparq0
— Dhananjay Yadav (@imDhananjay) February 16, 2026
He shared his frustration on X: “Think about this: We paid for flights, accommodation, logistics and even the booth. Only to see our wearables disappear inside a high-security zone.”
However, he added that the Delhi Police have been extremely helpful since, staying in constant touch and assisting in the aftermath.
Day 2 brings relief
Day two, thankfully, was a lot smoother.
“Although the devices are gone, the Delhi Police have been super helpful and in constant touch. In terms of crowd management, Day 2 was far better. In fact, the footfall is similar to Europe’s Web Summit, and the crowd is being managed very well,” Yadav said.
Even students attending the summit noticed the difference. “On the first day, I was standing in the wrong line, which was about a kilometre long, but on the second day I could navigate better, thanks to a friend’s guidance,” said Dhruv from Maharaja Agrasen Institute of Management Studies in New Delhi. “For someone coming for the first time, it would definitely be chaotic without guidance.”
Learning from teething problems
Not everyone saw the summit’s first day as a disaster. Some viewed the chaos as teething problems.
Ankit Vij, Co-Founder and CEO of Codespire, an AI firm, said, “We should all follow the China path.” He explained that Indians should support each other to grow the AI ecosystem.
“Rather than cribbing about the shortfalls, we should find solutions. There could be 100 problems today and 105 tomorrow. This is going to be a learning experience for India since the AI summit is not a one-time affair,” added Vij.
Just as AI models like ChatGPT get better with each update, the next summit is expected to run much more smoothly than this one, Vij told Firstpost optimistically.
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