New Delhi [India], February 20 : Highlighting the significance of responsible and inclusive artificial intelligence, Rafael Luis Torralbas Ezpeleta, President of the Cuban Delegation at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, said on Friday that India's vision for social-purpose AI is highly relevant for Cuba.
Speaking to ANI on the sidelines of the summit, Torralbas Ezpeleta, on his first visit to India, expressed admiration for the country and appreciation for hosting a Global South-focused AI event.
"This is my first time in India. I'm really impressed by this country, and I would like to thank the Government of India for inviting a Cuban delegation to the AI Impact Summit. This is the first Global South--big summit in Artificial Intelligence, and we appreciate the quite relevant proposal of India about inclusive Artificial Intelligence," he said.
He noted that Cuba has its own national strategy to deploy AI responsibly, focusing on applications in healthcare and the biopharmaceutical sector. The country is also investing in developing highly skilled human resources in AI, informatics, and data science through its 50 universities nationwide.
"Cuba is a small country with a population of only 9 million. Compared with India, we are like a small city in India. But we are focused on informatics science and data science in our universities. So the proposal of India for Artificial Intelligence, inclusive and with a social purpose, is very important for us," he added.
The Cuban delegation's remarks underscored the importance of international cooperation and the relevance of India's human-centric AI approach for countries across the Global South.
Earlier on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled India's comprehensive "MANAV Vision" for artificial intelligence at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, outlining a human-centric framework for ethical, accountable and inclusive AI governance.
Addressing delegates at the summit in the national capital, the Prime Minister said, "Today at the New Delhi AI Impact Summit, I present the MANAV Vision for AI. MANAV means human."
Explaining the acronym, he said, "'M' stands for moral and ethical systems - AI should be based on ethical guidance. 'A' stands for accountable governance, meaning transparent rules and robust oversight. 'N' stands for national sovereignty - data belongs to its rightful owner. 'A' stands for accessible and inclusive - AI should be a multiplier, not a monopoly. 'V' stands for valid and legitimate - AI should be lawful and verifiable."
The PM asserted that the MANAV Vision would serve as a guiding framework for the global AI ecosystem while stressing the need for stronger safeguards, particularly for children.
The India AI Impact Summit, the first global AI summit to be hosted in the Global South, reflects on the transformative potential of AI aligning with the national vision of "Sarvajana Hitaya, Sarvajana Sukhaya" (welfare for all, happiness for all) and the global principle of AI for Humanity.
This summit is part of an evolving international process aimed at strengthening global cooperation on the governance, safety and societal impact of AI.