Recalling Bandung 1955 in Push to Democratise AI, From the Cry of the Hungry to the Roar of a Rising Nation
April 18-24, 1955, and February 16-21, 2026 — these dates will forever be etched in our nation’s history. But what’s the relation between these two seemingly disparate moments in time? The answer lies in India’s journey from a newly independent nation struggling for survival to a global power shaping the future of technology.
Let’s begin with the past. The first decade after the end of World War II was consumed by the process of decolonisation. One by one, African and Asian nations were gaining independence. For centuries, their resources had been relentlessly exploited by their colonial masters, leaving the huge population in these regions on the brink of starvation and extreme poverty.
The Spirit of Bandung
The newly independent nations were courted hard by the two rival superpowers of the era: the US and the Soviet Union. Leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Josip Broz Tito, and Sukarno were concerned that choosing any one bloc would undermine their hard-earned sovereignty. They organised a meeting in the Indonesian town of Bandung. Leaders attending this meeting decided to follow the policy of non-alignment.
Bandung was not just a diplomatic conference; it was a statement. It declared that the newly independent nations of Asia and Africa would not be pawns in the Cold War. They would chart their own course, define their own interests, and pursue their own development. It was the cry of the hungry, demanding a place at the global table.
In those days, India’s economy ranked tenth in the world, with our per capita income between ₹250-270. We were poor, but we were proud. We had chosen the path of non-alignment, of strategic autonomy, of self-reliance.
The Roar of a Rising India
Today, India is the world’s fourth-largest economy, marching towards the third rank. Our per capita income has crossed ₹3,000. If the Bandung conference was the cry of the hungry, then the India AI Impact Summit (February 16-21) is the roar of a rapidly-progressing India.
Recent research by Stanford University rated India as the third most competitive nation in Artificial Intelligence. Out of the total AI experts globally, 16% are of Indian origin. We rank second in generative AI projects. Data reveal 89% of Indian startups use AI. Our AI market is currently pegged at close to ₹23 billion and is projected to grow to ₹325 billion by 2033.
BharatGen AI, launched in June 2025, is the world’s first government-seeded multi-modal large language model. If India has to progress, it needs to provide AI software for various regional languages. BharatGen is a step in that direction—a recognition that AI must speak in Indian tongues to serve Indian people.
The Geopolitical Context
Given AI’s expected impact globally, the US has bared its intentions quite early. The competition for AI dominance is not just commercial; it is strategic. The US, China, and Europe are all racing to shape the future of this transformative technology. In this race, India cannot afford to be a bystander.
Against such a backdrop, India tried to hit many targets simultaneously by hosting the summit. First, it offers our youth the confidence that the nation has the ability to back their soaring ambitions and imagination. When young Indians see global leaders and tech CEOs gathering in Delhi, they know that their country matters.
The government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is confident that the summit positions India as a key actor in establishing an ethical regulatory framework to democratise AI, while regulating deepfakes, promoting cyber security, and tackling challenges emerging due to this technology.
The Gathering of Giants
The summit had 20 heads of governments in attendance, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Industry leaders such as Google CEO Sundar Pichai, OpenAI founder-CEO Sam Altman, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, and senior executives of Accenture, Adobe, Meta, and 600 other subject matter experts participated.
The convergence of talent at the summit can be regarded as one of India’s most potent initiatives in the arena of AI diplomacy. It signals that India is not just a market for AI products but a shaper of AI norms. It demonstrates that the Global South has a voice in how this technology evolves.
The Challenges Ahead
India still faces considerable challenges. We need to enhance our computing power and invest in expensive cloud infrastructure. We need to expand our AI awareness in small and medium cities as well as in rural areas. The digital divide is real, and it must be bridged.
Initiatives have been made in this direction with the help of government-corporate cooperation. As we become a $5-trillion economy, we may achieve many of these goals. Through this summit, India is also expected to receive ₹200 million in foreign investment.
A Personal Experience
I would like to share some personal experience here. I went to Jodhpur early this month with some friends. In the evening, we were taken to witness the sunset at the dunes of Osian, some 90 kilometres from the city. We were surprised to find black mustard and some other crops being grown in the sand.
The miracle was the result of drip irrigation and AI intervention. The local farmers, with the help of some NGOs, could easily predict which area of the farm needs water, which patch is vulnerable to pests, and which area lags in fertilisers. They would get pest attack warnings in advance. AI systems recommended crops for maximum profit and the markets to tap for this.
This is a unique tale of turning sandy soil into a lush green field. That day, the setting sun actually shone a ray of hope—a hope of a quick, equitable, and profitable spread of AI across the length and breadth of the country.
Conclusion: From Bandung to Delhi
From Bandung in 1955 to Delhi in 2026, India’s journey has been remarkable. The cry of the hungry has become the roar of a rising nation. The policy of non-alignment has evolved into a strategy of multi-alignment, of shaping global norms, of asserting strategic autonomy.
The AI Impact Summit is not just a conference; it is a statement. It says that India will not be a passive consumer of technologies developed elsewhere. It will be a shaper, a rule-maker, a democratiser of AI. Just as Bandung gave voice to the decolonised world, Delhi is giving voice to the digitally empowered world.
The ray of hope I saw in the Osian dunes is the same ray that now illuminates India’s AI future. It is a future of opportunity, of inclusion, of progress. And it is a future that India is determined to build.
Q&A: Unpacking the Bandung-AI Summit Connection
Q1: What was the Bandung Conference of 1955 and why was it significant?
The Bandung Conference was a meeting of newly independent Asian and African nations in Indonesia, organised by leaders like Nehru, Tito, and Sukarno. It was significant because it declared that these nations would not align with either Cold War superpower (US or Soviet Union), choosing instead the path of non-alignment. It represented the “cry of the hungry”—newly free nations demanding a place at the global table after centuries of colonial exploitation.
Q2: How does the India AI Impact Summit relate to Bandung?
If Bandung was the cry of the hungry, the AI Summit is the roar of a rising India. In 1955, India’s economy ranked tenth with per capita income of ₹250-270. Today, India is the fourth-largest economy with per capita income crossing ₹3,000. The summit positions India as a key actor in establishing ethical AI frameworks, democratising technology, and ensuring the Global South has a voice in shaping AI’s future—continuing the spirit of Bandung.
Q3: What are India’s current AI strengths according to the article?
Stanford University rates India as the third most competitive nation in AI. Sixteen per cent of global AI experts are of Indian origin. India ranks second in generative AI projects. Eighty-nine per cent of Indian startups use AI. The AI market is currently ₹23 billion, projected to reach ₹325 billion by 2033. BharatGen AI, launched in June 2025, is the world’s first government-seeded multi-modal large language model.
Q4: What challenges does India face in AI development?
India needs to enhance computing power and invest in expensive cloud infrastructure. AI awareness must expand to small and medium cities and rural areas. The digital divide must be bridged. However, initiatives through government-corporate cooperation are underway, and the summit is expected to attract ₹200 million in foreign investment to address these challenges.
Q5: What does the Osian desert farming example illustrate?
The author witnessed farmers growing crops in the sandy dunes of Osian near Jodhpur through drip irrigation and AI intervention. AI systems helped predict water needs, pest vulnerability, fertiliser requirements, and recommended profitable crops and markets. It illustrates how AI can transform even the most challenging environments, bringing hope for equitable and profitable AI spread across rural India.
