Six Indian-origin leaders named to the 2026 Tech Diplomacy Global 50
The 2026 Tech Diplomacy Global 50, recognising the world's most influential leaders advancing responsible technology policy and digital governance, names six leaders of Indian origin — including the UN's Amandeep Gill and the McGovern Foundation's Vilas Dhar.
Six Indian-origin leaders have been named to the 2026 Tech Diplomacy Global 50, the annual list recognising the world's most influential figures advancing responsible technology policy, digital governance, and international cooperation, New India Abroad reports.
Notable appointees include:
- Amandeep Gill, a retired Indian diplomat who currently serves as Under-Secretary-General and Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies at the United Nations — the most senior multilateral technology-governance position in the international system.
- Vilas Dhar, President of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, a USD 1.5 billion global philanthropy focused on the responsible use of artificial intelligence and data.
- Four additional Indian-origin leaders across multilateral institutions, civil society, and the private sector.
The list, compiled annually, has tracked a steady upward concentration of Indian-origin leadership in technology-policy circles over the past five years. The 2026 cohort represents the highest count to date.
The pattern matters because the technology-governance moment — AI regulation, cross-border data flows, digital identity, semiconductor diplomacy — is being shaped now, in international fora where being at the table matters. The Indian diaspora has historically been heavily represented in technology industry leadership. The shift toward governance leadership is more recent and arguably more consequential for India's strategic positioning in the next decade.
Source: New India Abroad — Indian diaspora dominates global tech diplomacy list.
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