OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has said he felt confused and uncomfortable during an onstage moment with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi.

Altman shared the account in a Moneycontrol interview, recalling how the moment unfolded in front of global tech leaders.

“I didn’t know what was happening on stage. I was confused. He (Modi) grabbed my hand, and I was wondering what we were supposed to do,” Altman said.

“I didn’t know what was happening on stage. I was confused. He (Modi) grabbed my hand and i was wondering what we were supposed to do”

– Sam Altman 😭😭

People are literally laughing. How long will we tolerate this just for one man’s PR? pic.twitter.com/7DVdfn1PnD

— Amock_ (@Amockx2022) February 19, 2026

The summit brought together many of the world’s most influential AI figures to discuss new models, regulation, and AI’s impact on society.

But the event’s most talked-about clip was not a policy announcement or a product reveal, it was a staged moment in which senior AI leaders were steered into a 14-person hand-holding pose on stage.

The scene, intended to project unity, instead produced an uncomfortable and forced photo op that went viral all over the internet.

WTF is Modi doing

Check Sam Altman’s expression

Cringe overload

Everything seems to be an election rally for Modi pic.twitter.com/3D8jtJsgJH

— omar r quraishi (@omar_quraishi) February 19, 2026

The clip sparked an immediate backlash and ridicule online, with critics accusing Modi of turning a global AI gathering into a personal optics exercise rather than letting the summit’s substance speak for itself.

– He is Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI

– Went to many summits & Conclaves

– For the 1st time he was forced to raise hand as if it was an Election rally

– You can see the discomfort & awkwardness on his face and body language

All this coz Modi wanted to be the Centre of Attraction pic.twitter.com/ASi73OSofD

— Nehr_who? (@Nher_who) February 19, 2026

The reaction was not limited to international observers; many Indian users also voiced embarrassment at the spectacle, calling it out as a political-style stage-managed moment.

The viral moment also featured Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei on stage alongside Altman. In the footage circulating online, Altman and Amodei appeared to resist joining the hand-holding chain as expected, instead raising a fist in an awkward compromise that visibly disrupted the pose.

The hesitation stood out because Altman and Amodei represent two of the most prominent companies in artificial intelligence.

Anthropic is widely viewed as one of OpenAI’s most direct rivals, led by Amodei who previously worked at OpenAI before leaving to co-found Anthropic.

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has made it mandatory for telecom operators to participate in the 2600 MHz and 3500 MHz spectrum bands in the upcoming 5G auction. The move is aimed at ensuring that 5G services launched in Pakistan are practical and deliver a real user experience.

Officials said that while several countries introduced 5G without making specific spectrum bands compulsory, PTA has decided to take a stricter approach to speed up actual 5G rollout and avoid delays in service availability.

Why 2600 MHz and 3500 MHz Matter

Under the auction framework, the 2600 MHz band can be used for both 4G and 5G services, while the 3500 MHz band is reserved exclusively for 5G deployment. Although operators are free to bid on other available bands based on their business plans, participation in these two key bands is compulsory.

PTA officials said this requirement is intended to ensure that a functional and effective 5G ecosystem is established soon after spectrum is allocated, rather than limiting 5G to trials or partial coverage.

Mock Auction Before Final Bidding

PTA will conduct a mock auction ahead of the main 5G auction to test the bidding software and help telecom operators understand the auction process. Bidding manuals will be shared with participating companies in advance, and the system will be fully tested during the mock exercise.

Officials said the mock auction will also allow operators to become familiar with technical and procedural requirements before real bidding begins.

All Six Bands to Be Available on Auction Day

According to PTA, all six spectrum bands will be available on the auction day. The auction itself may last one day or extend to two or three days, depending on how much interest operators show across multiple bands.

February 27 has been set as the deadline for submission of bid documents. Each operator planning to participate must submit a bank guarantee of USD 15 million. PTA will also finalize on the same date how many companies will take part in the auction.