Latest News
Long queues and confusion mar first day of India’s landmark AI summit
India’s AI Impact Summit, billed as a landmark gathering of global leaders and technology executives, was overshadowed by logistical chaos on its opening day in Delhi on Monday.
Participants complained about long queues, overcrowding and confusion at the venue, saying they had to wait for hours. Some also reported limited access to food and water and said their products were stolen from their stall.
The five-day summit, inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi, is being promoted as the first major international AI meeting hosted in the Global South.
More than 100 countries are taking part, with technology leaders including Sam Altman of OpenAI and Sundar Pichai of Alphabet Inc expected to attend.
Speaking at the inauguration, Modi said the summit showcased “the extraordinary potential of AI, Indian talent and innovation”, adding that India aimed to shape solutions “not just for India but for the world”.
India’s Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the summit intended to look at both the benefits and harms of AI.
In the next few days, “we are basically looking at and measuring what [AI’s] impact on human society is going to be”, he said.
But the opening day was marred by complaints of poor crowd management at the summit venue Bharat Mandapam. By Monday afternoon, social media was flooded with complaints from founders, exhibitors and delegates who said security sweeps and last-minute closures left them stranded outside exhibition halls.
Maitreya Wagh, co-founder of voice AI start-up Bolna, wrote on X that he was unable to access his company’s booth after gates were closed. Punit Jain, founder of tech platform Reskill, described “7 AM queues” followed by hours of waiting and a “full evacuation” before the prime minister’s arrival.
Reuters reported that some speakers were still awaiting confirmation of their session timings, adding to concerns over mismanagement.
Dhananjay Yadav, founder of wearable AI start-up NeoSapiens, alleged that products from his company’s stall were stolen at the venue. Writing on X, he said the firm had spent heavily on travel, accommodation and exhibition space, “only to see our wearables disappear inside a high-security zone”.
Several attendees also complained about payment arrangements at food stalls inside the venue, saying food counters were accepting only cash and not digital payments, adding to the inconvenience, particularly for international visitors.
Soumya Sharma, founder of healthcare-focused Livo AI, said several discussions were held behind closed doors and that security shut down sessions because of overcrowding, preventing many delegates from taking part.
The closures, he suggested, undercut the summit’s ambition to showcase India’s AI ecosystem to a global audience.
While he said he attended some “excellent sessions”, Sharma added that operational lapses risked overshadowing the substance of the event. “Unless we get the basics right, we cannot claim to be utilising AI to its fullest,” he wrote on X. “AI is only part of the system. We must solve basic on-ground issues first.”
Organisers and the government have yet to respond publicly to the complaints. The BBC has reached out to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology for a comment.
[BBC]
In the recent past, factors such as population growth, expansion of development activities, and deforestation in Sri Lanka have resulted in the loss of traditional migratory routes and the destruction of habitats of wild elephants.
Consequently, a continuous and rapid escalation of the human-elephant conflict has been observed over a long period, spanning 19 out of the 25 districts and 134 out of the 341 Divisional Secretariat Divisions in the country.
According to the wild elephant census conducted in 2024, the wild elephant population in the country is estimated to be approximately 7,450. It is reported that the human-elephant
conflict accounts for a significant number of human fatalities and wild elephant deaths annually.
Furthermore, over a thousand incidents of property damage caused by wild elephants are recorded each year.
Although a ‘National Action Plan to Mitigate Human-Elephant Conflict in Sri Lanka’ was formulated in 2020, the dynamics of the current human-elephant conflict have evolved substantially since then, necessitating the formulation of a new national action plan.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Environment to take the necessary steps to draft a new National Action Plan for Human-Elephant Conflict Management.
Latest News
Cabinet green light to host 21st Steering Committee Meeting of the Cooperative Aviation Security Programme – Asia Pacific and the 14th Regional Aviation Security Coordination Forum – Asia and Pacific Regions from 23 – 26 June in Sri Lanka
Hosting the 21st Steering Committee Meeting of the Cooperative Aviation Security Programme – Asia Pacific and the 14th Regional Aviation Security Coordination Forum – Asia and Pacific Regions in Sri Lanka
An invitation has been extended to Sri Lanka to host two major regional aviation security summits: the 21st Steering Committee Meeting of the Cooperative Aviation Security Programme – Asia Pacific (CASP-AP) and the 14th Regional Aviation Security Coordination Forum (RASCF).
The Steering Committee of the Cooperative Aviation Security Programme – Asia Pacific serves as the primary decision-making body for the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) cooperative aviation security program in the Asia-Pacific region.
Sri Lanka is scheduled to assume the chairmanship of the said Steering Committee for the 2026-2027 term during this summit.
The Regional Aviation Security Coordination Forum for the Asia and Pacific regions serves as a regional platform to deliberate on emerging threats, the implementation of ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs), capacity-building activities, and coordination among member states and international
organizations.
Approximately 80 delegates, including representatives from 41 member states, international organizations, and observers, are expected to participate in these two summits.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation to host the 21st Steering Committee Meeting of the Cooperative Aviation Security Programme – Asia Pacific on the 23rd and 24th of June 2026, and the 14th Regional Aviation Security Coordination Forum – Asia and Pacific Regions on the 25th and 26th of June 2026 in Sri Lanka.
Latest News
Committee to examine the feasibility of operating all functions related to the Employees’ Provident Fund and the Employees’ Trust Fund under an integrated governance framework
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Labour to appoint a Committee comprising Senior Officials to examine the feasibility and submit recommendations on bringing all operations of the Employees’
Provident Fund and the Employees’ Trust Fund under an integrated governance framework managed by a tripartite board representing the Government, employers, and employees.
This initiative aims to align with international best practices while ensuring comprehensive legal and financial security for the assets of the members
Report on the Final Budgetary Condition (Annual Report) – 2025 submited to parliament
Cabinet nod to accept increased Loan Grant provided by the Asian Development Bank under Policy Based Loan Facilities – 2026
Submission of Revenue Protection Order Prepared under the Provisions of the Revenue Protection Act No. 19 of 1962 to the Parliament for its approval.
Resettlement of unauthorized settlers affected by the Land Acquisition process for the implementation of Phase III of the Baseline Road Extension Project
Cabinet approves project to modernize school hostel facilities during the 2026–2028 period at an estimated cost of Rs. 1,008 million
New National Action Plan for Human-Elephant Conflict Management to be drafted
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
News5 days agoCIABOC summons Yoshitha over his participation in British Navy training programme
-
News7 days agoLocal firms move millions of dollars overseas for phantom imports: Govt.
-
Midweek Review7 days agoJuly 09: An inexcusable overall security failure and exceptional contingency plan
-
Sports2 days agoTharanga set for high-profile javelin clash in Ostrava
-
News5 days agoJustice Minister responds to social media claims he represented Easter Sunday ringleader
-
News4 days agoCommonwealth lawyers urge Lanka to uphold rule of law
-
Features3 days agoPolitics of protected species
-
News7 days agoAI raises concerns over arrest of Sallay and rapper under PTA