News India Times

www.newsindiatimes.com – that’s all you need to know By a StaffWriter Dozens Of Maine Healthcare Workers Endorse Dr. Nirav Shah’s Campaign For Governor T he campaign for Dr. Nirav Shah for Governor announced February 12, 2026, it has received endorse- ments from dozens of health care leaders and professionals from across Maine. These include physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician as- sociates, psychologists, paramedics, and public health experts with decades of combined experience. Many of them has spent careers practicing in rural com- munities and underserved regions of the state, the press release noted. The Maine primaries are scheduled for June 9, 2026, and Dr. Shah has 6 other Democrats running for their party’s endorsement. And there are 10 Republi- cans running for the GOP endorsement come June 9. Shah’s campaign says these endors- ers from the health care system believe “Maine needs a governor who under- stands the system and is ready to fight back for patients and providers. They say Dr. Shah is the only candidate in the race with the firsthand experience and proven leadership to fix Maine’s broken health care system.” “I’ve spent my career caring for pa- tients in free clinics, migrant health pro- grams, and community settings where access to care is never guaranteed,” Dr. Garrett Fontaine, one of the supporters, is quoted saying in the press release, adding, “I know how much leadership matters for the people who are too often left behind. Dr. Shah has dedicated his career to making health care more acces- sible and more humane, and he under- stands what it takes to build a system that works for everyone. That’s why I’m proud to support him for governor.” The press release quotes other health- care workers who echo the same views. Dr. Shah said he is “deeply honored” to have this support from frontline providers, adding, “Their support means a great deal to me, because it reflects a shared commitment to fixing what’s bro- ken, strengthening our workforce, and making sure every person in Maine can get the care they need, close to home.” For names of those who endorsed Dr. Shah, visit shaformaine.com/media US-India PHOTO:@shahformaine.com Candidate for Maine Governor Nirav Shah with wife Kara and family dog Fritz. US India Strategic Partnership Forum To Lead Largest U.S. Industry Delegation To India AI Impact Summit 2026 T he U.S.–India Strategic Partner- ship Forum (USISPF) announced February 9, 2026, its participation as an Official Partner of the India AI Impact Summit 2026, to be held in New Delhi from February 16–20, 2026, in col- laboration with the Ministry of Electron- ics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India. As part of the Summit, USISPF will lead the largest delegation of U.S. CEOs and senior technology leaders to participate in the India AI Impact Summit, marking a decisive moment in the strategic ad- vancement of U.S.- India cooperation on artificial intelligence, trusted technology ecosystems, and next-generation digital infrastructure. Ahead of the Summit, USISPF is pleased to announce the launch of the Board AI Task Force. The task force will be led by John Chambers, Chairman, USISPF and will focus on strengthening AI eco- systems, accelerating responsible deploy- ment, and supporting population-scale impact. As its first act, USISPF through the AI task force will lead a delegation of over 100 US companies to the India AI Sum- mit, working alongside the Government of India, industry leaders, and other key stakeholders to advance trusted, scalable, and inclusive artificial intelligence. Commenting on the launch of the Board task force, John Chambers, Chair- man, USISPF said: “As Prime Minister Modi said best, AI stands for America and India. Frommy vantage point in Silicon Valley, I could see how AI would become the defining technology of our time, just as the U.S.-India relationship is the defining strategic partnership of our time. Through this taskforce, we will leverage USISPF’s deep knowledge in public-pri- vate partnerships to ensure AI’s respon- sible development and implementation for nearly two billion people across our countries. As the biggest bull on India and being equally as optimistic in AI’s ability to change our lives, I am confident that this new taskforce will propel the U.S. and India to lead in this space and drive global conversations on AI, trust, and competi- tive AI ecosystems.” The delegation will be co-led by Shantanu Narayen, Vice Chair of USISPF and Chair and CEO of Adobe, and Raj Subramaniam, Vice Chair of USISPF and President & CEO of FedEx Corporation. The delegation will comprise more than 120 senior global leaders, including Brad Smith, Vice Chair and President, Micro- soft; Hemant Taneja, CEO, General Cata- lyst; Börje Ekholm, CEO & President, Er- icsson; Denise Dignam, CEO, Chemours; Bipul Sinha, CEO, Rubrik; Umesh Sachdev, CEO, Uniphore; Raj Koneru, CEO, Kore. ai; and other prominent executives across technology, manufacturing, logistics, and advanced services. The USISPF delegation will advance the TRUST Initiative’s focus on AI infra- structure growth in India by catalyzing investments to scale India’s computa- tional capacity while supporting startups deploying welfare applications. The del- egation will also deepen cooperation on supply chain resilience, building on India’s recent inclusion in the Pax Silica grouping and reinforcing India’s role as a trusted global manufacturing and technology hub. Aligned with the Summit’s theme of “People, Planet, Progress,” visiting leaders will collaborate with Indian policymak- ers and innovators to democratize access to AI, expand cloud and shared digital resources, and accelerate real-world AI deployment across agriculture, healthcare, education, and financial inclusion. These efforts underscore a shared commitment to responsible AI governance, economic growth at population scale, and the rein- forcement of democratic values in emerg- ing technologies. As part of the Official Summit Program at Bharat Mandapam, USISPF will host a flagship session titled “Scaling Trusted AI for 8 Billion+”, featuring senior global in- dustry leaders and policymakers, focused on building inclusive, secure, and globally interoperable AI ecosystems. USISPF will also host an Official Events of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 at The Leela Palace, New Delhi, on February 18, featuring high-impact public sessions on AI infrastructure, welfare-focused AI deployment, and skilling for the AI age, with participation from senior govern- ment officials, global industry leaders, and strategic partners. High-level private engagements during the Summit will include: A closed-door roundtable on National Security Readiness and AI, with partici- pation from the US Government, senior leadership across India’s Ministries of Defence and External Affairs, and the Na- tional Security Council Secretariat. A closed-door luncheon dialogue with Sergio Gor, the U.S. Ambassador to India and Special Envoy to South and Central Asia, focused on strategic technology cooperation and trusted AI frameworks, led by Shantanu Narayen in his capacity as Vice Chair of USISPF. A leadership roundtable on Supply Chain Resilience, featuring senior US and Indian government representation. USISPF’s engagement at the India AI Impact Summit builds on extensive pre-Summit convenings, including eight closed-door policy and industry dialogues in New Delhi on AI diffusion, democra- tization of AI resources, defense applica- tions, and financial services, as well as senior-level engagements inWashington, D.C., convened in partnership with the Embassy of India. Commenting on USISPF’s participa- tion, Dr. Mukesh Aghi, President & CEO, USISPF, said: “The U.S.–India partner- ship is central to shaping a trusted global AI ecosystem. As President Trump and Prime Minister Modi have underscored, artificial intelligence must be developed responsibly, at scale, and in service of people. USISPF is honored to convene leaders from government and industry to translate this shared vision into action, ad- vancing a joint roadmap to accelerate AI infrastructure, build applications that ad- dress real societal challenges, and ensure the safeguards to promote responsible deployment of AI.” USISPF looks forward to working closely with the Government of India, the U.S. Government, and our members to advance a shared innovation priorities in support of secure, resilient, and trusted AI ecosystems. USISPF Press Release News India Times (February 14, 2026 - February 20, 2026) February 20, 2026 6 US Affairs