Kathmandu: The Embassy of India in Kathmandu, in partnership with the AI Association of Nepal, organized a high-profile event titled “AI for Inclusive Growth: Building Nepal’s AI Ready Future” on November 21. The program has been officially recognized as a pre-Summit event for the AI Impact Summit, scheduled to take place in New Delhi on 19–20 February 2026.
More than 400 participants from Nepali startups, government bodies, Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Robotics Association of Nepal, NAS IT, Fintech Alliance, AI Association of Nepal, academia, think tanks and media attended the event, which focused on emerging developments in Artificial Intelligence and preparations for the upcoming Summit.
Hon’ble Minister for Communication and Information Technology Jagdish Kharel was the Chief Guest. In his remarks, he highlighted Nepal’s ongoing AI initiatives and stressed the potential for strengthened cooperation with India in developing AI-driven solutions.
Indian Ambassador Naveen Srivastava, speaking at the plenary session, outlined India’s guiding principle of “AI for ALL.” He said the upcoming AI Impact Summit seeks to shift global attention toward the real-world impact of AI on daily life and its future trajectory. He also encouraged Nepali youth to take part in the Summit’s global AI challenges — AI for ALL, AI for HER, and YUVAi.
A keynote presentation was delivered by Amitabh Nag, CEO of the Digital India Bhashini Division, who showcased Bhashini’s role in transforming public services in India through multilingual AI solutions. Anirban Sarma, Director of the Digital Societies Initiative at the Observer Research Foundation, introduced participants to the Summit’s objectives and structure.
A panel discussion on “Leveraging AI for Nepal’s Growth”, moderated by Dr. Suresh Pokharel, Vice President of the AI Association of Nepal, brought together experts from both countries. Joint Secretary Adesh Khadka discussed Nepal’s AI policy development; Er. Bikash Gurung, President of the Robotics Association of Nepal, highlighted efforts to expand robotics and AI exposure among youth; and Sixit Bhatta, Founder of Vriddhi Sanjal, explained how AI can serve as a core component of Nepal’s digital public infrastructure. Amitabh Nag and Anirban Sarma also shared insights from India’s expanding AI ecosystem.
The event concluded with a hands-on workshop on AI tools and architecture conducted by Ram Sharma Bhattarai and Darshan Parajuli from the AI Association of Nepal. The session also showcased industrial case studies from India demonstrating Bhashini’s applications. Radhika Aryal, Secretary at Nepal’s Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, attended as Special Guest.
