Geneva, July 5 (IANS) Union Minister of State for External Affairs (MoS) Kirti Vardhan Singh arrived in Switzerland’s Geneva on Sunday to participate at the inaugural United Nations Global Dialogue on AI Governance.

India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, Arindam Bagchi, welcomed the minister at the airport.

“Hon’ble MoS for External Affairs; and Environment, Forest and Climate Change Kirti Vardhan Singh arrived in Geneva today to participate in the Global Dialogue on AI. India looks forward to the global conversation on #AI governance that keeps people at its centre,” the Permanent Mission of India at the United Nations in Geneva posted on X.

Kirti Vardhan Singh will lead the Indian delegation at the inaugural United Nations Global Dialogue on AI Governance set to be held in Geneva on July 6-7.

The Global Dialogue on AI Governance is a universal, multi-stakeholder UN forum created under General Assembly Resolution 79/325, following the Global Digital Compact adopted as part of the Pact of the Future in September 2024, according to the statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

The MEA further stated that the dialogue offers an opportunity to advance international governance of artificial intelligence in ways that “complement international, regional, national and multi-stakeholder efforts”.

“Together with the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI that promotes scientific understanding, transparency, accountability and robust human oversight, the dialogue will help to build capacities, especially in developing countries, to direct the AI systems towards the pursuit of sustainable development. In line with the terms of reference and modalities adopted in August 2025, the Co-Chairs had also held several stakeholder consultations, including one in-person consultation held on the sidelines of the AI Impact Summit held in New Delhi in February 2026,” the MEA said in the statement.

The Global Dialogue on AI in Geneva will receive the annual report of the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI (IISPA), which provides the first independent scientific assessment of the capabilities, emerging opportunities and risks of AI.

The dialogue will feature thematic discussions around four clusters covering AI’s social and economic implications, bridging AI divides, safe and trustworthy AI and human rights in the AI context.

United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) President Annalena Baerbock has appointed El Salvador’s Representative to the United Nations, Egriselda Lopez and the Permanent Representative of Estonia to the United Nations, Rein Tammsaar, as co-chairs of the 2026 AI Dialogue.

The second session of the Global Dialogue on AI Governance is scheduled to be held in New York in May 2027, according to the UN.

–IANS

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