Former UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak sparked laughter at a joint session at the British High Commission by humorously blaming Delhi’s traffic for his slight delay, turning a routine remark into a viral moment.
“AI can’t fix Delhi’s traffic yet”
Opening his address, Sunak apologised for arriving a few minutes late and quipped, “AI can do many things, as we’ve heard this week, but it can’t yet fix Delhi’s traffic. So, work to do.” The light-hearted comment drew laughter from the audience and quickly circulated online.
The event was held at the British High Commission alongside UK Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy during the India AI Summit, which brought together global leaders and technology experts to discuss artificial intelligence and innovation.
India in a “medal position”
Sunak praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for positioning India as a rising AI powerhouse. Referring to global rankings compiled by Stanford University, he said India had moved into what he described as a “medal position” as an AI superpower.
“India has leapfrogged the UK in the AI race,” Sunak noted, before adding with a smile, “If you look at the ICC Test rankings, England is still ahead — which arguably is more important.”
A warm India connection
Lammy introduced Sunak as “a great son of the United Kingdom and also a great son of India.” Sunak promptly corrected him with a grin: “Son-in-law,” drawing further laughter.
The remarks added a personal and relatable touch to the summit, highlighting Sunak’s cultural connection to India while keeping the focus on technology collaboration and future partnerships.