The inaugural international edition of Bharat Innovates was jointly inaugurated on 14 June by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and President of the French Republic, H.E. Emmanuel Macron. The event reflects the shared commitment of India and France to building a future-ready innovation ecosystem powered by collaboration, talent, research, and transformative technologies.
Bharat Innovates 2026 features an extensive programme comprising 11 high-level panel discussions, sector-focused masterclasses, curated B2B matchmaking sessions, investor pitch engagements involving more than 50 startups, and dedicated networking opportunities connecting innovators with global investors, corporations, universities, incubators, and policymakers. The event brings together leading industry executives, investors, academics, and technology experts to explore emerging opportunities across artificial intelligence, semiconductors, biotechnology, healthcare, energy, advanced manufacturing, space, defence, and climate technologies.
Addressing the gathering, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi highlighted India’s growing leadership in innovation and technology, stating:
“Bharat innovates with scale and speed. Bharat innovates for a sustainable future, and Bharat innovates for the whole world. Innovation is in India’s DNA. Bharat Innovates is an invitation to the world to co-create the next chapter of global innovation with India.”
President Emmanuel Macron lauded India’s vibrant innovation ecosystem and the deepening partnership between the two nations. He said:
“I deeply believe that the fact that Nice is hosting today the first Bharat Innovates 2026 event ever held outside India is a powerful testament to the strength of the ties that unite our two countries. These ties are grounded in a long-standing technological, scientific and industrial partnership that has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years. They also demonstrate how much our two countries still have to build together through their scientific, entrepreneurial, and industrial strengths.”
Following the inauguration, the two leaders toured the Bharat Innovates Innovation Pavilion, which features 120 cutting-edge technologies and breakthrough innovations developed by Indian startups, innovators, and premier higher education institutions. The showcase spans sectors including artificial intelligence, semiconductors, biotechnology, healthcare, energy, advanced manufacturing, mobility, and space technologies.
Designed to facilitate partnerships among investors, industry leaders, research institutions, and innovators from around the world, the initiative is expected to deepen India-France cooperation in science, technology, innovation, education, and entrepreneurship while strengthening India’s integration into global innovation networks.
Bharat Innovates 2026 highlights the breadth of India’s innovation ecosystem, featuring 120 innovators, participation from more than 15 leading higher education institutions, and over 500 global stakeholders, including CEOs, industry leaders, venture capital firms, researchers, and policymakers. The event spotlights advancements across 13 strategic sectors, including advanced computing, semiconductors, space technology, biotechnology, healthcare, energy, and advanced manufacturing.
The opening day featured a series of keynote addresses, strategic dialogues, and global industry discussions focused on strengthening international innovation corridors and deep-tech partnerships. A key highlight was the keynote address by Infosys Founder Shri N. R. Narayana Murthy, who underscored the pivotal role of academic institutions in creating globally competitive technology enterprises.
Reflecting on the Infosys journey—from an idea launched with USD 250 to a globally respected technology company—he emphasized that enduring enterprises are built on complementary talent, shared values, disciplined innovation, transparent governance, and trust. He further highlighted the responsibility of higher education and research institutions in nurturing value-driven founders and technology leaders capable of transforming knowledge into innovation, innovation into enterprise, and enterprise into long-term societal impact.
Another major milestone of the event was the signing of more than 30 strategic partnerships, including Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and joint declarations aimed at strengthening collaboration between Indian and global innovation ecosystems. These include 12 agreements between Indian higher education institutions and incubators and their French and international counterparts to promote entrepreneurship, innovation, research collaboration, and startup support. In addition, 16 agreements were signed with leading global corporations to accelerate technology development, commercialization, and market access for Indian innovators.
Further strengthening academic collaboration, 13 French universities signed partnership agreements with 11 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc). The agreements focus on student and faculty exchanges, joint research programmes, innovation support, academic collaboration, and talent development.
A significant announcement during the event was the launch of the India-France ATL Bridge, a joint initiative of Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog, and La Fondation Dassault Systèmes. The initiative will extend India’s successful Atal Tinkering Lab model to France through the establishment of the country’s first School Innovation Lab, while fostering collaboration among young innovators from both nations.
Among the key discussions on Day One was the panel session titled “AI for Global Good: Building a Corridor for Trusted, Inclusive and Scalable AI,” which brought together leaders from industry, investment, academia, and policy circles. The conversation explored collaborative approaches to responsible artificial intelligence, sovereign technology development, and international cooperation in emerging technologies.
This was followed by sessions on “India and Europe: Deep Tech Without Borders” and “Global Deep-Tech Capital Corridors,” which focused on cross-border innovation ecosystems, venture financing, commercialization pathways, and expanding global market access for emerging technologies.
The Bharat Innovates 2026 plenary session on “AI for Global Good” further emphasized the need to establish a trusted, inclusive, and scalable AI corridor between India, France, and global partners. Participants highlighted India’s strengths in developing affordable and localized AI solutions, the strategic importance of sovereign AI capabilities, and the value of open-source collaboration in building a resilient and globally competitive artificial intelligence ecosystem. Speakers also called for deeper joint research initiatives, investment partnerships, and broader international cooperation to accelerate responsible AI development.
With strong participation from global leaders, groundbreaking partnerships, and meaningful discussions on the future of technology and innovation, Day One of Bharat Innovates 2026 has laid a robust foundation for deeper international collaboration and strengthened India’s position as a leading force in the global innovation landscape.
For more information about the initiative and participating startups, visit Bharat Innovates.
