Cyprus joined international discussions on the governance and development of artificial intelligence this week, as Deputy Research Minister Nicodemos Damianou travelled to India to attend the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi, representing President Nikos Christodoulides. 

Following an invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Damianou is attending the summit accompanied by Chief Scientist Demetris Skourides and Cyprus’ High Commissioner to India Evagoras Vryonides.

The summit, holds on February 16 – 20, gathered more than 20 heads of state and government, representatives from a further 60 countries, and senior executives from the global technology ecosystem.  

Under the theme “People, Planet & Progress”, discussions focused on the use of artificial intelligence for sustainable development and inclusive economic growth. 

During the event, the deputy minister took part in a ministerial session titled “Safe & Trusted AI”, which examined regulatory convergence, international cooperation and the exchange of best practices for the responsible and human-centred deployment of AI systems. 

On the sidelines, Damianou held meetings with government officials and international organisations. In talks with the Minister of Technology and Biotechnology of the Indian state of Karnataka, both sides reaffirmed their intention to strengthen cooperation in technology, startups and innovation.  

The prospect of Cyprus joining the Global Innovation Alliance (GIA), a network facilitating access of startups and research institutions to international innovation ecosystems and markets, was also discussed. 

According to the announcement, the summit follows the global AI meeting held in Paris in February 2025 and forms part of wider efforts to coordinate international approaches to AI development and its economic and societal impact. 

The deputy minister is scheduled to return to Cyprus on February 20.