NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron will jointly inaugurate Bharat Innovates 2026 in Nice on June 14, aimed at deepening India-France collaboration in deep technology, innovation and start-up ecosystems. Ahead of the event, education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday released two strategic documents profiling the selected start-ups and research projects that will be presented in Nice.The three-day event, organised by the Union education ministry under the India-France Year of Innovation, will bring together 120 Indian deep-tech start-ups, 15 leading higher education institutions and more than 500 investors, venture capital firms, corporate leaders and global CEOs.The event is expected to showcase India’s innovation capabilities across sectors including semiconductors, advanced computing, biotechnology, space technology, healthcare, energy and manufacturing. External affairs minister S Jaishankar, commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal and principal scientific adviser Ajay Kumar Sood are expected to attend.Pradhan said Bharat Innovates reflected the vision of transforming India from a knowledge-consuming nation into a knowledge-creating and innovation-driven economy. “Bharat Innovates is a pathway for strategic engagement opportunities,” he said, adding that it represented “the intellectual strength of youth and a powerful platform for India’s expanding startup ecosystem”.According to the ministry, the 120 start-ups were selected from more than 3,000 applicants. The cohort collectively holds over 1,500 patents and has raised more than $1.5 billion in funding. It includes listed companies such as ideaForge and Ather Energy.Pradhan said the initiative had already generated investor interest, with nearly $20 million in commitments either finalised or nearing closure. He added that roadshows had been organised in Paris, Tokyo and Bengaluru to connect Indian start-ups with global investors.The ministry said Bharat Innovates is expected to facilitate partnerships in research, technology transfer, co-development, manufacturing and cross-border investments between Indian and international innovation ecosystems.
