Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi and French President HE Emmanuel Macron jointly inaugurated the maiden edition of Bharat Innovates 2026 at the Palais des Expositions de Nice, France on June 14, 2026. The event, organized by the Government of India as an initiative of the Union Ministry of Education, serves as a premier platform for advancing innovation-led partnerships between India's deep tech innovators and global stakeholders.
Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Shri Piyush Goyal welcomed the dignitaries, with Union Minister for External Affairs Dr. S Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Shri Ajit Doval, and Principal Scientific Advisor Dr. Ajay Kumar Sood in attendance. PM Modi emphasized India's innovation leadership, stating "Bharat innovates with scale and speed. Bharat innovates for a sustainable future, and Bharat innovates for the whole world." President Macron noted that hosting the first Bharat Innovates outside India in Nice demonstrates the strength of Indo-French technological and scientific partnership.
The leaders conducted a walkthrough of the Innovation Pavilion showcasing 120 cutting-edge technologies and breakthrough innovations from Indian innovators and premier higher education institutions across sectors including artificial intelligence, semiconductors, biotechnology, healthcare, energy, advanced manufacturing, mobility, and space technologies.
The three-day event from June 14-16, 2026 features an extensive program comprising 11 high-level panel discussions, multiple sector-focused masterclasses, curated B2B matchmaking meetings, focused investor pitch sessions involving over 50 startups, and dedicated networking engagements with global investors, corporates, universities, incubators, and policymakers. The program brings together global industry leaders, investors, academics, and technology experts to discuss emerging opportunities across artificial intelligence, semiconductors, biotechnology, healthcare, energy, advanced manufacturing, space, defence, and climate technologies.
Bharat Innovates aims to showcase and promote Indian DeepTech innovations to facilitate partnerships with global investors, industry, institutions and innovators. The initiative is expected to deepen bilateral cooperation in science, technology, innovation, education, and entrepreneurship while strengthening India's integration into global innovation networks, reflecting the shared commitment of India and France to foster a future-ready innovation ecosystem driven by collaboration, talent, and transformative technologies.