Odisha presents its AI policy vision and real-world AI deployments at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, highlighting governance innovation, Sarvam AI partnership, and scalable public AI solutions
OdishaPlus Bureau
The Odisha government is positioning itself as one of the pioneers in artificial intelligence (AI) adoption in India by presenting its policy vision, institutional readiness, and practical implementations at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, which is taking place at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi from February 16 to 20.
Through a dedicated Odisha Pavilion themed “Odisha – From AI to Impact,” the state is emphasizing its evolution from experimental pilots to scalable AI-driven solutions across various sectors including governance, healthcare, agriculture, education, disaster management, and urban infrastructure. Officials have stated that the exhibits are grounded in a structured implementation framework supported by institutional capacity-building, data governance protocols, and public-sector use cases that have progressed beyond mere proof-of-concept stages.
The pavilion is crafted to showcase Odisha’s commitment to utilizing AI not just as a developing technology but as a means for tangible public service delivery and socio-economic transformation. The presentation emphasizes outcome-oriented governance, sustainable digital public infrastructure, and the integration of AI tools across departments, positioning Odisha as a potential model for sub-national AI deployment in India.
A significant aspect of Odisha’s involvement is its strategic partnership with Sarvam AI, which aims to develop sovereign AI capabilities with a particular emphasis on population-scale Odia-language AI applications. This collaboration also aims to enhance advanced AI infrastructure and computing capacity within the state, reflecting a broader initiative to ensure that AI adoption is inclusive, locally relevant, and accessible to all citizens.
The pavilion features more than 10 innovation startups and ecosystem partners, including applied AI ventures, research organizations, technology service providers, and government-linked initiatives.
Together, they demonstrate Odisha’s expanding innovation pipeline, its startup–government collaboration model, and efforts to democratise access to AI tools and digital resources at the grassroots level.
Odisha’s Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Mukesh Mahaling, said the state’s early policy push had helped it gain national visibility in the AI ecosystem. He noted that Odisha became the first state in the country to approve an AI policy in the Cabinet, leading to the hosting of a Regional AI Impact Summit and now participation at the national-level summit in New Delhi.
Together, they showcase the growing innovation pipeline in Odisha, the collaboration model between startups and the government, and the initiatives aimed at democratizing access to AI tools and digital resources at the grassroots level.
Odisha’s Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Mukesh Mahaling, stated that the state’s proactive policy initiatives have contributed to its national recognition within the AI ecosystem. He emphasized that Odisha was the first state in India to endorse an AI policy in the Cabinet, which resulted in the organization of a Regional AI Impact Summit and subsequent participation in the national-level summit in New Delhi.