CLARA was showcased as part of the joint Czech exhibition “Czech AI Innovations from the Heart of Europe,” organised by INDRC and CIIRC CTU, which presented two major research initiatives – the centres of excellence CLARA and RICAIP. The Czech delegation also included the startup Neurona Lab, the Zlín Region together with its development agency ZRIA, and VSB – Technical University of Ostrava. The exhibition was supported by Česká spořitelna and received the auspices of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic.
The India AI Impact Expo 2026 attracted more than 500,000 visitors across 70,000 m² of exhibition space and featured over 400 exhibitors from around the world. The summit welcomed participants from more than 100 countries, including 20+ heads of state, over 60 ministers, and numerous global technology leaders. The exhibition itself showcased more than 600 startups and 13 national pavilions, highlighting the truly global scale of this key AI event.
Visitor interest in the Czech booth was exceptionally strong throughout the Expo, partly due to its strategic location within the Innovation Arena Hall, where hundreds of startups – particularly from India – presented their projects and solutions. This setting attracted a diverse audience, including many young AI teams who formed a significant portion of the visitors to the Czech stand. In total, the Czech delegation established hundreds of new contacts across both academia and industry, which Czech institutions will continue to follow up on in the coming months.
From the perspective of the CLARA Centre of Excellence, a notable share of the discussions focused on potential collaboration with Indian universities and research institutions, both public and private. Young researchers expressed interest in doctoral study opportunities, while technology innovators were keen to learn more about the CLARA Young Innovator Award 2026.
Many university representatives expressed interest in deeper institutional cooperation, inspired by existing partnerships between Czech and Indian institutions. CIIRC CTU already has concrete experience in this area through its collaboration with NIMS University in Jaipur, which led to the establishment of a new research institute focused on artificial intelligence, computer science, and robotics – the Marik Institute of Computing, Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Cybernetics (MICARC). Officially opened a year ago, the institute is named after the founder and Scientific Director of CIIRC CTU, Prof. Vladimír Mařík.
Diplomatic and Historical Dimension of Collaboration
The participation of the Czech delegation was supported by a personal visit from Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Marie Chatardová, who showed keen interest in the projects presented by the individual partners at the Czech booth. The Ambassador of the Czech Republic to India, Eliška Žigová, also visited the stand and subsequently invited representatives of Czech institutions for discussions at the Embassy of the Czech Republic in New Delhi.
The discussions confirmed that the Czech Republic and India maintain long-standing positive relations, without historical burdens and with a strong tradition of technical and industrial cooperation. Symbolic names such as Baťa and Jawa remain well known in India, and today’s generation of Czech scientists and innovators continues this tradition in the fields of modern technologies and artificial intelligence.
New Industrial Contacts and Potential for Expanding Cooperation
The programme also included a series of bilateral meetings. Discussions with NVIDIA and several of its startup initiatives developed very promisingly. Meetings were also held with Binding Neurons Technologies, which expressed interest in research collaboration with European partners.
Representatives of Fujitsu, who attracted considerable attention at the Expo with a model of their latest quantum computer, as well as representatives of the Japanese agency JETRO, also visited the Czech stand. Additional meetings took place with representatives of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and the National Supercomputing Centre in Kragujevac. These contacts open up opportunities for future project cooperation and technological partnerships in a broader international context.
Expert Discussion: Regulation, Trust, and Responsible Use of AI
Czech institutions CIIRC CTU and INDRC participated not only through their exhibition presence but also actively contributed to the expert programme of the summit. In the panel discussion “Navigating the AI Regulatory Landscape: A Cross-Compliance Framework for Safety & Governance,” organised by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) and the INPACE project, Dr. Vít Dočkal (CIIRC CTU) and Lalit Patil (INDRC) presented their perspectives.
The discussion focused on cross-border cooperation, regulatory alignment, technological innovation, and the ethical use of artificial intelligence. The CLARA project was presented as a concrete example of how cutting-edge research can be combined with a responsible approach to the development and deployment of AI solutions.
Media Response and International Visibility
Members of the Czech delegation gave several interviews to local media during the Expo. The activities of INDRC and CIIRC CTU, including the CLARA project, were presented to a broader professional and public audience, with particular emphasis on the connection between research, innovation, and practical industrial applications.
Participation in the India AI Impact Expo 2026 confirmed that the Czech research and innovation ecosystem is capable of presenting itself as a confident and respected partner in the global discussion on the future of artificial intelligence, with a strong emphasis on quality, ethics, and the practical applicability of research results.
