Shillong, Feb 18: Meghalaya positioned itself as an emerging force in India’s artificial intelligence landscape at the India AI Impact Conference held at Bharat Mandapam, highlighting how AI is being integrated into governance, climate action and rural development.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma described it as a “proud moment” to see the state present a unified front at one of the country’s largest AI gatherings. “Glad to witness Meghalaya shining bright at the India AI Impact Conference at Bharat Mandapam,” he wrote on social media, calling it “one of the world’s largest gatherings on Artificial Intelligence, proudly hosted by India”.
The Meghalaya Pavilion brought together multiple government departments, research centres and startups, signalling a coordinated strategy rather than a symbolic presence. Participating entities included the IT & Communications Department, Government of Meghalaya; the State GIS & UAV Centre (MBDA); the Climate Change Centre (MBDA); Sirobilt; Shamrock AI; Ruralnomics (PRIME Startup); Edviseme (PRIME Startup); and USTM Meghalaya.
According to Sangma, the pavilion “showcased the innovation, ambition, and technological spirit of our state”, focusing on practical applications of AI. Demonstrations highlighted the use of artificial intelligence tools to strengthen governance systems, improve climate data analytics, support rural livelihoods and enhance education and entrepreneurship ecosystems.
Officials said the emphasis was on field-level impact — from GIS-based planning and UAV-enabled monitoring to AI-driven advisory platforms for farmers and small enterprises. The presence of PRIME-backed startups underscored the state’s strategy of linking public policy with grassroots entrepreneurship.
Calling the participation more than symbolic, Sangma said, “This is not just participation, this is leadership from the Northeast in the AI revolution,” reflecting Meghalaya’s bid to position itself prominently within India’s evolving technology ecosystem.
He also congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the success of the summit and thanked Union Minister for Electronics and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw for facilitating the state’s participation.
The conference brought together policymakers, technology companies, startups and academic institutions nationwide, with discussions centred on scaling AI responsibly and aligning it with public policy objectives. For Meghalaya, the focus remained clear: leveraging AI as a tool for governance reform, climate resilience and inclusive development rather than as a standalone technology showcase.
