Report on Participation in "India AI Impact Summit 2026"
The "India AI Impact Summit 2026" highlighted the growing importance of "Sovereign AI" (tech sovereignty) and "AI Democratization," addressing concerns about AI's opacity, reliance on global tech giants, and the need for national control to ensure equitable benefits. Zoho's approach, through its privacy-first "Zia" AI foundation and integrated business applications, aligns with these principles by emphasizing control, data protection, and broader societal access to AI.
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- 📰 Published: April 15, 2026 at 22:00
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In the previous issue (1st), we delivered a field report from the international AI event "India AI Impact Summit 2026," held in New Delhi, India, in February 2026. The keywords "Sovereign AI" and "Democratization of AI" were repeatedly mentioned at the venue. This issue delves into why these themes are gaining renewed attention now and how Zoho is addressing this question.
See the 1st issue here.
【What is Sovereign AI?】
What kind of concept does "Sovereign AI" refer to? Generally, it tends to be understood as a point of discussion regarding "where to place data servers." However, the "sovereignty" discussed at this summit goes beyond that. The question being asked was whether one possesses the ability to understand, operate, and, if necessary, improve AI independently.
The idea of "Tech Sovereignty"—the ability to grasp the internal structure of AI technology within one's own country or company, and to handle problems independently without relying on external vendors, not just the location of data—was a shared consensus across governments, companies, and research institutions.
【Why is Sovereign AI Gaining Attention Now?】
The background to the acceleration of this discussion lies in three structural problems accompanying the rapid spread of AI technology.
The first is the blackboxing of AI. For advanced AI models, there are increasing cases where users cannot explain why a particular output was generated, leading to a widening situation of "using but not understanding."
The second is dependence on specific companies. The structure where a few global technology giants hold sway over AI development, infrastructure, and data flow is solidifying. There are growing concerns that this dependency could influence corporate decision-making and national policy judgments.
The third is the increasing sense of urgency in various countries. Examples include the Indian government's promotion of large-scale expansion of GPU infrastructure (around 100,000 units) and strengthening of domestic LLM development under the "IndiaAI Mission 2.0," which are concrete policy movements aimed at changing this structure with their own national power. The EU (EU AI Act) is also progressing with regulations according to risk levels, including obligations for transparency and accountability.
【What is the Democratization of AI?】
Another significant question permeated the summit: "Democratization of AI."
The phrase "Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya (For the benefit of all, for the happiness of all)," which was the summit's theme, succinctly expresses this philosophy. Up until now, AI development has been led by a few giant technology companies with abundant data and computing resources, and its benefits have been concentrated among specific players.
However, this structure is now changing. Governments and regional companies in various countries are embarking on their own AI development, and AI tools that can be utilized in business by small and medium-sized enterprises are expanding. The very fact that a major international AI conference was held in the Global South is symbolic of this change. Spreading the benefits of AI broadly across society, without bias towards specific countries or companies—this is the essence of the "Democratization of AI" theme.
【Sovereign AI and Democratization are Connected】
At first glance, these two themes might seem like separate discussions. However, tracing their essence reveals that they are two sides of the same coin.
Only by becoming capable of understanding and controlling AI independently, without external dependence (Sovereignty), can the concentration on specific players be resolved, and a state where the benefits of AI are widely distributed (Democratization) be realized. Autonomy gives rise to decentralization, and decentralization leads to democratization—this chain can be seen as the underlying current of the discussions in New Delhi.
This question is by no means irrelevant to Japanese companies. Can they grasp and control where their own company's data is located and how it is used by AI? Are they dependent on external AI services while not understanding their inner workings? The discussion surrounding Sovereign AI structurally overlaps with the questions faced by Japanese CIOs/CDOs and DX managers.
【Regarding Zoho's Stance】
Here, we will also touch upon Zoho's position. Zoho does not represent India's national AI strategy; rather, as a company, it addresses the challenges of AI utilization faced by businesses worldwide. On the other hand, the stance Zoho has built over time aligns with the core questions discussed at this summit.
Zoho's AI foundation, "Zia," is an AI assistant embedded within business applications such as CRM, performing proposals, analysis, predictions, and automation based on accumulated business data. At its core is Zoho's proprietary large language model, "Zia LLM," which supports generative AI functions. Zia LLM is trained on open data and operated on Zoho's private infrastructure, designed with an emphasis on the control and data protection required for enterprise use.
Furthermore, Zoho adopts a "privacy-first" principle, with a policy not to use customer data for AI model training. They also do not adopt an advertising model; these principles are incorporated into their business model itself.
Additionally, because Zoho develops and provides business applications such as CRM, finance, HR, and support in an integrated manner, it enables AI utilization that aligns with business workflows by linking data across products.
【To the Next Issue (3rd): "Security and Governance in the AI Era"】
When addressing the question "Who does AI belong to?" and "Who controls it?", the inevitable follow-up is "How can this be realized?". In the next issue (3rd), we will discuss security and governance in the AI era, incorporating Zoho's initiatives and the perspective of the ME division.
▼ This newsletter is delivered as a 3-part series:
● 1st Issue: Event Report (Summit Overview & Zoho Booth)
● 2nd Issue (This Issue): Sovereign AI, AI Democratization
● 3rd Issue: Data Security
Guidance for Media Study Session in May
Zoho Japan plans to hold a "Zoho Media Study Session" exclusively for media representatives in mid-to-late May 2026.
This study session will introduce the latest AI trends in India, themes discussed at the summit such as "Sovereign AI" and "AI Democratization," and the strategy behind Zoho's AI foundation "Zia." We also plan to explain practical application images in actual business operations, with demonstrations of "Zia."
We will provide detailed explanations based on on-site knowledge, covering content not fully conveyed in the newsletter.
Individual interview opportunities are also available for those interested in this content. Please feel free to contact us for details, which will be provided separately.
About India AI Impact Summit 2026
The India AI Impact Summit 2026 is an international AI event held in New Delhi, India, in February 2026. Government officials, companies, and startups participated, discussing the societal implementation of AI technology, policy, and its application to industry. This year's event was notable as a symbolic event for the expansion of international AI discussions to the Global South. You can find more details here (in English).
View Details
Zoho's Privacy Pledge
Zoho emphasizes data protection and confidentiality, with a policy not to use third-party trackers or sell user data. We strive to provide an environment where users' data is managed appropriately and they can use our products with peace of mind.
About Zoho
Zoho Corporation is a global software company offering over 60 business applications across sales, marketing, customer support, finance, HR, productivity, and collaboration. Headquartered in India, it operates worldwide and emphasizes data protection and privacy, not using advertising revenue models. It serves over 150 million users globally.
Contact Information
Inquiries regarding this press release:
Zoho Japan K.K. Marketing Group 1
TEL: 045-319-4611
E-mail: jp-zohomarketing@zohocorp.com
See the 1st issue here.
【What is Sovereign AI?】
What kind of concept does "Sovereign AI" refer to? Generally, it tends to be understood as a point of discussion regarding "where to place data servers." However, the "sovereignty" discussed at this summit goes beyond that. The question being asked was whether one possesses the ability to understand, operate, and, if necessary, improve AI independently.
The idea of "Tech Sovereignty"—the ability to grasp the internal structure of AI technology within one's own country or company, and to handle problems independently without relying on external vendors, not just the location of data—was a shared consensus across governments, companies, and research institutions.
【Why is Sovereign AI Gaining Attention Now?】
The background to the acceleration of this discussion lies in three structural problems accompanying the rapid spread of AI technology.
The first is the blackboxing of AI. For advanced AI models, there are increasing cases where users cannot explain why a particular output was generated, leading to a widening situation of "using but not understanding."
The second is dependence on specific companies. The structure where a few global technology giants hold sway over AI development, infrastructure, and data flow is solidifying. There are growing concerns that this dependency could influence corporate decision-making and national policy judgments.
The third is the increasing sense of urgency in various countries. Examples include the Indian government's promotion of large-scale expansion of GPU infrastructure (around 100,000 units) and strengthening of domestic LLM development under the "IndiaAI Mission 2.0," which are concrete policy movements aimed at changing this structure with their own national power. The EU (EU AI Act) is also progressing with regulations according to risk levels, including obligations for transparency and accountability.
【What is the Democratization of AI?】
Another significant question permeated the summit: "Democratization of AI."
The phrase "Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya (For the benefit of all, for the happiness of all)," which was the summit's theme, succinctly expresses this philosophy. Up until now, AI development has been led by a few giant technology companies with abundant data and computing resources, and its benefits have been concentrated among specific players.
However, this structure is now changing. Governments and regional companies in various countries are embarking on their own AI development, and AI tools that can be utilized in business by small and medium-sized enterprises are expanding. The very fact that a major international AI conference was held in the Global South is symbolic of this change. Spreading the benefits of AI broadly across society, without bias towards specific countries or companies—this is the essence of the "Democratization of AI" theme.
【Sovereign AI and Democratization are Connected】
At first glance, these two themes might seem like separate discussions. However, tracing their essence reveals that they are two sides of the same coin.
Only by becoming capable of understanding and controlling AI independently, without external dependence (Sovereignty), can the concentration on specific players be resolved, and a state where the benefits of AI are widely distributed (Democratization) be realized. Autonomy gives rise to decentralization, and decentralization leads to democratization—this chain can be seen as the underlying current of the discussions in New Delhi.
This question is by no means irrelevant to Japanese companies. Can they grasp and control where their own company's data is located and how it is used by AI? Are they dependent on external AI services while not understanding their inner workings? The discussion surrounding Sovereign AI structurally overlaps with the questions faced by Japanese CIOs/CDOs and DX managers.
【Regarding Zoho's Stance】
Here, we will also touch upon Zoho's position. Zoho does not represent India's national AI strategy; rather, as a company, it addresses the challenges of AI utilization faced by businesses worldwide. On the other hand, the stance Zoho has built over time aligns with the core questions discussed at this summit.
Zoho's AI foundation, "Zia," is an AI assistant embedded within business applications such as CRM, performing proposals, analysis, predictions, and automation based on accumulated business data. At its core is Zoho's proprietary large language model, "Zia LLM," which supports generative AI functions. Zia LLM is trained on open data and operated on Zoho's private infrastructure, designed with an emphasis on the control and data protection required for enterprise use.
Furthermore, Zoho adopts a "privacy-first" principle, with a policy not to use customer data for AI model training. They also do not adopt an advertising model; these principles are incorporated into their business model itself.
Additionally, because Zoho develops and provides business applications such as CRM, finance, HR, and support in an integrated manner, it enables AI utilization that aligns with business workflows by linking data across products.
【To the Next Issue (3rd): "Security and Governance in the AI Era"】
When addressing the question "Who does AI belong to?" and "Who controls it?", the inevitable follow-up is "How can this be realized?". In the next issue (3rd), we will discuss security and governance in the AI era, incorporating Zoho's initiatives and the perspective of the ME division.
▼ This newsletter is delivered as a 3-part series:
● 1st Issue: Event Report (Summit Overview & Zoho Booth)
● 2nd Issue (This Issue): Sovereign AI, AI Democratization
● 3rd Issue: Data Security
Guidance for Media Study Session in May
Zoho Japan plans to hold a "Zoho Media Study Session" exclusively for media representatives in mid-to-late May 2026.
This study session will introduce the latest AI trends in India, themes discussed at the summit such as "Sovereign AI" and "AI Democratization," and the strategy behind Zoho's AI foundation "Zia." We also plan to explain practical application images in actual business operations, with demonstrations of "Zia."
We will provide detailed explanations based on on-site knowledge, covering content not fully conveyed in the newsletter.
Individual interview opportunities are also available for those interested in this content. Please feel free to contact us for details, which will be provided separately.
About India AI Impact Summit 2026
The India AI Impact Summit 2026 is an international AI event held in New Delhi, India, in February 2026. Government officials, companies, and startups participated, discussing the societal implementation of AI technology, policy, and its application to industry. This year's event was notable as a symbolic event for the expansion of international AI discussions to the Global South. You can find more details here (in English).
View Details
Zoho's Privacy Pledge
Zoho emphasizes data protection and confidentiality, with a policy not to use third-party trackers or sell user data. We strive to provide an environment where users' data is managed appropriately and they can use our products with peace of mind.
About Zoho
Zoho Corporation is a global software company offering over 60 business applications across sales, marketing, customer support, finance, HR, productivity, and collaboration. Headquartered in India, it operates worldwide and emphasizes data protection and privacy, not using advertising revenue models. It serves over 150 million users globally.
Contact Information
Inquiries regarding this press release:
Zoho Japan K.K. Marketing Group 1
TEL: 045-319-4611
E-mail: jp-zohomarketing@zohocorp.com