Executive Vice-President Virkkunen in India for summit on artificial intelligence
From tomorrow to Friday, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, Henna Virkkunen, will represent the European Union at the AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi. Her visit highlights the EU’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with India and shaping global AI governance at a pivotal moment for Europe’s prosperity and security. As AI drives economic growth and geopolitical influence, the EU is advancing an approach that combines innovation, trust and international cooperation.
Tomorrow, Executive Vice-President Virkkunen will join an industry roundtable on EU–India cooperation in AI skills and talent mobility, bringing together business associations and stakeholders from both sides. She will also deliver opening remarks at the launch of the European Legal Gateway Office pilot, alongside Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, who will intervene remotely. Announced by President Ursula von der Leyen at the 16th EU–India Summit, the initiative aims to connect European companies with India’s ICT talent base, in line with Member States’ needs.
Wednesday, the Executive Vice-President will take part in the opening session hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and join the Leaders’ Plenary. She will hold meetings with partners including Canada, New Zealand and the United States, and engage with business leaders and the Federation of European Businesses in India to promote Europe’s tech investment offer.
Friday, she will participate in a ministerial meeting and speak at EU sessions on the AI Code of Practice and AI innovation. She will also meet with key partners, including Australia, the United Kingdom, Brazil and Morocco, as well as with India’s Minister of Electronics and IT, Ashwini Vaishnaw, to advance the EU–India trade and technology collaboration.
Throughout her visit, Executive Vice-President Virkkunen will underline Europe’s strengths — a large single market, strong industrial base and stable democratic framework — and emphasise the EU’s ambition to accelerate AI deployment, scale innovation and work with trusted partners such as India to ensure AI remains human-centric, secure and aligned with democratic values.