The NDTV Defence Summit 2026 brought together senior military leadership, including the chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, to discuss the future of India's defense capabilities. A primary focus of the event was the role of emerging technology in military operations.

Chief of Defence Staff General NS Raja Subramani addressed the summit, emphasizing the dual nature of artificial intelligence in the military sector. He characterized AI as both a significant opportunity for modernization and a complex challenge for future battlefield management. General Subramani noted that AI is expected to transform all aspects of warfare, necessitating a strategic approach to its implementation.

In a separate session, the summit featured remarks from the Russian Ambassador to India, Denis Alipov. During his address, Ambassador Alipov touched upon the criteria for international defense cooperation. He stated that successful defense business relies on the reliability of partners, remarking, "You don't do business with untrustworthy partners." While the summit provided a platform for these high-level discussions, the reports did not clarify if specific procurement deals, such as the potential acquisition of F-35 or Su-57 aircraft, were formally negotiated or confirmed during the proceedings.