Dubai’s Burj Khalifa lights up with PM Modi's image for India AI Impact Summit 2026

Dubai: In an unannounced display on Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, a giant portrait of the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was showcased on Thursday night.

Why the world’ tallest building illuminated with the images of the Indian leader and the country’s tricolour flag without any prior announcement surprised many when the video was shared on X by the Indian Consulate in Dubai.

So, what was it all about?

The mission’s post said: "India just took AI to new heights."

It then described the Burj Khalifa display as a reflection of India's growing leadership in innovation and emerging technologies, adding that it showed "India's vision for AI resonating on a global stage — ambition, innovation, and global scale all in one frame."

That vision had a very specific backdrop. The display was marking the India AI Impact Summit 2026, being held in New Delhi from February 16 to 20.

Chaired by Modi himself, it has been described as the largest artificial intelligence summit ever held in the Global South. The words on the Burj Khalifa spelled out the ambition: The future of AI, shaped in India, for the world.

The theme of the summit, "Welfare for all...Happiness of all," was also displayed on Burj Khalifa. It added details like dates and location of the summit and a message to watch it live.

The five-day gathering has already brought together heads of state, government ministers, investors and some of the biggest names in global tech.

One of the most significant attendees was Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, who travelled to New Delhi to attend the opening session on behalf of UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. This is his second official visit to India, following his earlier visit in September 2024.

On the sidelines, Sheikh Khaled met Modi in a bilateral sitting that ranged across economic cooperation, technology, trade as well as investments in healthcare and insurance.

Sheikh Khaled conveyed the greetings of the UAE President to Modi, who asked the Crown Prince to pass on his warm wishes in return.

Coincidentally, February 18, 2026, marked exactly four years since the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between the two countries, during which bilateral trade and investment have witnessed remarkable growth. 

Representatives from 58 member countries of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence gathered on the sidelines and endorsed a joint statement laying out a roadmap for responsible AI governance and cross-border research collaboration, building on the framework set at the Paris AI Action Summit in 2025.