India’s flagship AI Impact Summit 2026 began with high expectations but quickly ran into on-ground turbulence, as the opening day at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi was marked by long queues, crowd congestion, and security disruptions.
The five-day event, positioned as one of the world’s largest AI gatherings and a major showcase of India’s ambitions in artificial intelligence, drew far larger crowds than organisers appeared prepared to handle. By the end of Day 1, the conversation around the summit was as much about logistics as it was about AI.
Massive Turnout Overwhelms Entry Systems
Attendance on the first day reportedly crossed 70,000, with some estimates placing the number closer to 80,000. Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw later acknowledged the unexpectedly high turnout, calling it a sign of strong interest in India’s AI push.
In practice, the surge exposed bottlenecks almost immediately.
Attendees reported:
- Waiting in queues for hours, some arriving as early as 7 a.m.
- Confusion over which gates to use
- QR passes not matching entry lists in some cases
- Limited access to water, seating, and food during peak entry hours
Despite digital registration systems, many participants said the entry process felt manual and slow, creating a choke point at the venue gates.
Security Movements Trigger Mid-Day Disruptions
The situation became more complicated ahead of a scheduled high-profile visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to multiple attendee accounts, exhibition halls were abruptly cleared for security sanitisation.
Exhibitors were asked to leave booths and equipment behind during the sweep. Some later reported difficulty regaining access once the halls reopened.
One of the most widely discussed incidents involved NeoSapien co-founder Dhananjay Yadav, who alleged that AI wearable devices left in the secured exhibition area went missing. While the full circumstances remain unclear, the claim added to concerns about on-site coordination and asset security.
Security layering also contributed to congestion. Participants who exited sessions often had to repeat screening procedures to re-enter, slowing movement between halls and causing some visitors to miss scheduled talks.
Sessions and Exhibition Flow Disrupted
Inside the venue, the ripple effects continued.
Several session halls were reportedly cleared early to accommodate VIP movements, with some speakers asked to shorten presentations. Volunteers formed human chains in crowded corridors to manage foot traffic, an image that quickly circulated on social media.
Communication was another pain point. Frequent loudspeaker announcements attempted to redirect attendees, but many participants said instructions were inconsistent or unclear.
The lunch window brought its own complications. Heavy demand at food counters combined with intermittent digital payment failures, forcing some stalls to switch to cash-only service. Weak Wi-Fi connectivity across parts of the venue made the situation worse.
Minister Issues Public Apology
By late afternoon, the government moved to contain the backlash.
IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw issued a public apology, acknowledging the crowd-management problems and promising immediate corrective steps. Officials said a real-time “war room” had been activated to monitor entry flows and coordinate security more tightly.
Organisers also:
- Redeployed volunteers to manage crowd movement
- Distributed food coupons to some affected attendees
- Increased monitoring at access gates
- Adjusted hall management procedures
The ministry maintained that lessons from Day 1 would be applied quickly to improve the remaining days of the summit.
Online reaction was swift and pointed.
Attendees took to X and other platforms to describe the day as chaotic, citing long waits, unclear directions, and poor basic amenities. Several founders and startup operators expressed frustration that builders and exhibitors were being repeatedly moved or delayed.
One widely shared post summarized the experience bluntly: early-morning queues, delayed entry, mid-day evacuation, and hours of uncertainty before programming stabilized.
Major international outlets echoed the tone, describing the opening as “marred by confusion and overcrowding,” even though scheduled panels and keynote sessions eventually proceeded more smoothly later in the day.
Why the Rough Start Matters
The bumpy opening carries symbolic weight.
The India AI Impact Summit was designed to position the country as a central voice in global AI governance and innovation, particularly for the developing world. The first-day logistics issues created an uncomfortable contrast between that ambition and the reality on the ground.
That said, events of this scale often face early operational stress, especially when attendance significantly exceeds projections. Organisers have signaled confidence that tighter coordination and crowd controls will stabilise the remaining days.
For now, the summit remains a high-profile platform for AI policy and industry discussion. But Day 1 has already delivered an unexpected reminder: in the age of artificial intelligence, even very human problems like queues and crowd flow can still steal the spotlight.
