Goa’s AI Mission 2027 draws global interest at India AI Impact Summit 2026

*Goa’s AI Mission 2027 draws global interest at India AI Impact Summit 2026*

*New Delhi, February 21, 2026:* Following six days of high-level engagement at the Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, the Goa Pavillion at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 wrapped up with significant interest from visitors, global technology stakeholders and industry leaders. The Goa pavilion, set up by the Department of Information Technology, Electronics & Communications (DITE&C), Government of Goa, showcased the state’s future-forward AI initiatives under the Goa AI Mission 2027. The pavilion was visited by over 200 attendees.

A delegation from Goa, led by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Goa, Dr. Pramod Sawant and Hon’ble Minister for Information Technology, Electronics and Communications, Govt. of Goa, Shri. Rohan Khaunte, with Shri. Sanjeev Ahuja, IAS, Secretary (ITE&C), Shri. Kabir Shirgaonkar, Director, DITE&C, Dr. Milind Sakhardande, Joint Director, DITE&C; Shri. Siddhart Borkar, Deputy Director, DITE&C; Shri. Gaurabh Sawal, Assistant Director, DITE&C; Shri. D. S. Prashant, CEO, SITPC; Shri Heramb Kanekar, Senior Associate, SITPC and other officials, who interacted with stakeholders and industry leaders at the summit. The pavilion also featured five Goan startups that showcased their innovations and emerging technologies during the event.
The pavilion witnessed strong international participation, with delegates from France, the British High Commission, Sweden, Japan, Cambodia, Canada, USA, Ghana and Cuba engaging actively in the discussions. It also drew significant interest from representatives of other states and various national organisations, with visitors keen to understand the state’s AI-driven initiatives and its growing ecosystem for deep-tech innovation.

Attendees explored Goa’s approach to fostering responsible AI adoption, supporting startups in emerging technologies and building strong industry and academia collaborations. Shri. Lal Chand Mangal, Distinguished Scientist and Director General at the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), visited the Goa pavilion. He said, “This is an interesting development. Phosic India Pvt. Ltd. has developed hyperspectral imaging technology with tremendous applications for homeland security as well as defense. We’re exploring the customization of this indigenous technology for our military applications. In that direction, I have invited the team to my office for further interaction and discussion.”

Visiting the summit, Manisha Desai was thrilled to see a pavilion from her state.“I was excited to see the booth representing my state and the AI innovations on display. After exploring the module, I was particularly impressed by the new AI chatbot feature, which allows us to easily access the site (GoaOnline portal), understand our queries and get quick responses within seconds.”

Startups from Goa presented their products and actively interacted with visitors throughout the summit. Sharing their experience, Siddharth Manjrekar and Sarvesh Patkar from Frover Labs Pvt. Ltd., said, “We’ve built Celly, a GTM (Go-to-Market) tool specifically designed for B2B startups. Thanks to Goa’s SITPC, we were able to represent our startup under the Goa state section at the event. We’re extremely grateful for this opportunity, as it has provided us with tremendous exposure, both in terms of visibility and the quality of connections we’ve made. From the daytime sessions to the post-event mixers, we’ve met a highly credible set of people and the experience has been truly invaluable.”

Gaurish Datta Pangam, from DivvyUp and Grow also expressed similar views. He shared, “I’ve had the chance to meet industry leaders across AI, from security and manufacturing to enterprise solutions. Many of them have shown genuine interest in the work we’ve done previously for enterprises, seeking solutions that can be applied not just in India, but also in the USA and Canada. I also connected with media companies interested in leveraging AI for television and content creation. Beyond business opportunities, interacting with CEOs from companies and policy makers supporting the AI ecosystem has been incredibly valuable.”

As the AI summit concludes, the Department of Information Technology, Electronics & Communications (DITE&C) and startups take back valuable connections and new opportunities for collaboration. The interactions at the summit have further strengthened Goa’s position as a growing centre for AI, technology and innovation in the country.