India is hosting one of the biggest artificial intelligence expos, the AI Impact Summit 2026, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, where people from around the world gather for talks on the emerging technology. After receiving an overwhelming response, the central government has decided to extend the timeline of the mega event by one more day.
On Wednesday, 18 February 2026, IT Secretary Krishnan announced at a press conference that the expo has been extended by one more day, i.e., the event will be open to the public till 8 p.m. (IST) on Saturday, 21 February 2026.
However, the IT Secretary also confirmed that the AI expo will remain closed to the public view on Friday, 19 February 2026, due to the VIP movement in the event.
Earlier, the AI Impact Summit 2026 was scheduled to be hosted between Monday, 16 February 2026 and Friday, 20 February 2026, before the extension announced during Wednesday's press conference.
The IT Secretary Krishnan also reiterated that all sessions of the AI Impact Summit 2026 will be streamed online on Friday, 19 February, as no public footfall will be allowed at Bharat Mandapam's premises on Friday.
AI Impact Summit 2026 timings on 18 February
The Ministry of Electronics & IT, on 18 February 2026, has released shared timings, general advisory, shuttle services, and parking availability information for attendees who are arriving on the third day of the mega AI event.
Check timings (IST) for the AI Impact Summit 2026 —
- Bharat Mandapam Convention Centre: 9:30 a.m. to 04:30 p.m.
- Bharat Mandapam Expo Area: 9:30 a.m. to 08:00 p.m.
- Sushma Swaraj Bhawan: 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
The ministry also said that the registered delegates are strongly advised to use public transport, metro services, or cabs to reach the venue, due to limited parking space availability.
AI Impact Summit 2026 — Gate information
1. Gate Number 4: The entry gate will be operational from 8:00 a.m. onwards for drop-offs by car or cabs.
2. Gate number 10: The entry gate will be operational from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for delegates arriving through the metro route.
3. Gate Number 5A: The entry gate will be operational from 8:00 a.m. onwards for media entry.
The ministry also cautioned that people are likely to face intermittent traffic restrictions in and around the ITPO area between 4:00 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. They also mentioned that event access through other designated gates shall remain subject to security clearance and movement restrictions as per protocol.
“Limited parking facility shall be available at the following parking locations,” said the ministry, highlighting three parking locations — Purana Qila Parking, Zoo Parking Space, and JLN Stadium Parking.
People can avail the shuttle services, which will ply from these locations to Bharat Mandapam's Gate Number 4.
