Amid the whirlwind of AI breakthroughs at New Delhi’s India AI Impact Summit 2026, Google CEO Sundar Pichai paused for a taste of home. On the event’s fourth day, he discovered pure joy in the India GI Coffee Lounge, exclaiming ‘Wow!’ over the exquisite Malabar Arabica from cherished Indian regions.
Brought to life by DPIIT, the lounge showcased premium GI coffees from Araku to Coorg, mesmerizing visitors. Pichai’s interactions with baristas, sips of perfection, and photo ops highlighted a unique confluence of GI heritage, UPI seamlessness, and AI frontiers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi set the tone with the opening ceremony, assembling global influencers. Pichai lauded India’s meteoric rise, unveiling Google’s undersea fiber networks via India-US Connect—four innovative pipelines strengthening transatlantic data flows.
Calling for daring AI leaps, he shared how AI dismantled protein prediction barriers, a decades-old roadblock to drug development. Now, 3 million experts in 190 countries harness it for malaria vaccines and revolutionary therapies.
Google’s $15 billion pledge signals a transformative AI hub in India, empowering sectors like healthcare, agriculture, and startups. The summit’s 300 pavilions and live shows, centered on People, Planet, and Progress, featured 600 startups with battle-tested AI products.
With 500+ sessions and 3,250 thought leaders, conversations probed AI’s societal ripple effects, championing inclusive tech adoption. Pichai’s flavorful interlude reminded all that progress thrives when technology honors tradition.