Mumbai : The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) have partnered to host the first edition of the Earth Summit 2025-26. The annual initiative, aimed at redefining the future of rural development, will feature a series of three conferences to be held in Hyderabad, Gandhinagar, and New Delhi between November 2025 and February 2026.

Centered around the theme ‘Empowering Rural Innovation for Global Change’, the Earth Summit will serve as a dynamic global platform to drive policy outcomes, investments, and collaborations that accelerate rural transformation. Visionaries and industry leaders from across sectors will explore ways to bridge gaps between technology, finance, agriculture, and climate action, shaping a more sustainable and inclusive rural economy for the world.

Sharing his perspective on the initiative, Shri Shaji K.V., Chairman, NABARD said, “The Earth Summit is a step towards building a future where rural innovation drives sustainable global growth. NABARD’s vision has always been to strengthen the rural economy by connecting knowledge, technology, and finance to empower communities at the grassroots. Through this initiative, we aim to create a vibrant platform for collaboration, bringing together ideas, investments, and policy insights that can turn rural potential into real-world progress. Our partnership with IAMAI reflects NABARD’s belief that inclusive development in villages can become the cornerstone of global transformation.”

Dr. Subho Ray, President, IAMAI said, “The primary idea behind the Earth Summit is to chart a way forward to turn local innovation into lasting change, shaping a rural economy that is sustainable, equitable, and globally relevant. Anchored in India’s phenomenal success with the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), the conferences will demonstrate how inclusive innovation can scale across geographies, especially across the Global South. We are thankful to NABARD for being our partner in this unique annual initiative.”

The first conference of the series will be held at HITEX Exhibition Centre, Hyderabad, on November 20-21, 2025. The second edition of the conference-series will take place at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar, on December 5 and 6, 2025. Finally, the all-India final event of Earth Summit 2025-26 will be hosted in New Delhi in February 2026.

Over its three conferences the Earth Summit 2025-26 will convene policymakers, regulators, industry leaders, investors, innovators, startup founders, NGOs and members of the academia.

Besides speaking sessions, all three conferences under the summit will have a plethora of ancillary activities such as hackathons, startup-investor connect programmes, exhibitions, and product showcases.