AI Impact Summit: Delhi set to roll out red carpet for 35K global leaders

Many delegates choose Mumbai or Bengaluru due to shortage of luxury rooms

Nagadas (traditional drums), lamp-lighting ceremonies, curated multi-course menus, round-the-clock concierge services, heightened security, and high-speed mobile connectivity await nearly 35,000 delegates including global executives and several heads of state, as the AI Impact Summit 2026 kicks off in the national capital on Monday.

 

Guests will be welcomed with traditional Indian rituals such as aarti and tika, and presented with handcrafted silk stoles woven by master artisans. “The arrival will be marked by the thunderous nagadas and royal bugles, alongside the soulful notes of the santoor and sitar, celebrating India’s rich musical heritage,” said Praydhumna Singh Rathore, general manager of Taj Palace.

 

“From handcrafted amenities to single-origin chocolates, every detail has been curated to offer an authentic sense of place,” Rathore added.

 

Taj hotels in Delhi and Mumbai will host several government delegations, including those led by French President Emmanuel Macron and his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, along with top executives from global technology firms who are expected to begin arriving from Monday.

 

With only about 21,000 luxury hotel rooms available in Delhi against far higher demand, many delegates have opted to stay in Mumbai or Bengaluru and fly in for key sessions on February 19 and 20.

 

“Due to the shortage of rooms in New Delhi, guests have extended their stays in Mumbai and Bengaluru and will visit the capital only for the day to attend sessions,” said Arjun Baljee, president of Royal Orchid Hotels.

 

Hotels have ramped up customised dining experiences, private networking spaces, and flexible event formats to support high-level meetings around the summit. “Rooftop venues, private dining rooms, and curated multi-course menus are being tailored for global business travellers,” Baljee said, adding that properties are offering personalised chef interactions, quick business lunch formats, and premium dinner settings.

 

Concierge-led travel coordination, along with express check-in and check-out services, is also being provided for delegates flying between cities.

 

Apart from amenities within the hotels, connectivity has been strengthened across key venues — Bharat Mandapam and Sushma Swaraj Bhawan — besides major transit corridors, hotels and airports.

 

“All venues are fully fibre-enabled with four-way protected fibre paths, supported by 55 small cells across the Bharat Mandapam complex and 12 additional outdoor sites,” a Bharti Airtel spokesperson said. 

 

Existing sites have been upgraded to enhance coverage along traffic routes and entry-exit points, with round-the-clock on-site network teams monitoring roaming links. Reliance Jio has created additional capacity with more 5G sites on key busy routes and venues. 

 

Vodafone Idea (Vi) has also set up a war room to monitor network performance and deployed five new airport sites covering terminals and aerobridges, alongside robust fibre backhaul at Bharat Mandapam and nearby locations.

 

“We have deployed 22 dedicated 4G and 5G sites and significantly enhanced capacity across VVIP hotels and venues,” a Vi spokesperson said, adding that network performance has been optimised and verified across the entire transit route from the airport to key event hubs.