India’s Bharat Innovates 2026 initiative is showcasing 137 deep-tech startups aiming to deliver affordable, scalable innovations for the Global South. The program highlights India’s ambition to become a global leader in cost-effective technology and innovation.
India just sent a clear signal to the world. On March 21 and 22, the Ministry of Education concluded the Bharat Innovates Deep-Tech Pre-Summit at ASPIRE, the IIT Bombay Research Park. One hundred and thirty-seven startups, selected from over 3,000 applications across the country, took the stage. Their destination is Nice, France, in June 2026. Their mission is larger: to prove that India can become the world’s primary exporter of affordable, high-impact technology for developing nations.
The Vision: Low-Cost, High-Impact Tech for Emerging Economies
This is not a routine government showcase. Bharat Innovates 2026 is a deliberate geopolitical and developmental statement.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, delivering the valedictory address at IIT Bombay, said: “Indian technology is attracting the world in digital transaction, affordable healthcare and generic medicines. The Global South will not be able to adopt the technology of the Western bloc and they want to adopt our technology.”
The framing is pointed. Western deep-tech is expensive, complex, and designed for economies with mature infrastructure. India, Pradhan argues, builds differently. Its innovations are born in constraints and priced for scale.
Pradhan stated: “Led by the Ministry of Education, Bharat Innovates 2026 aims to carry R&D-driven innovations from every corner of the country to the global stage, showcasing cutting-edge technologies while fostering meaningful collaboration, unlocking investment opportunities, and building enduring global partnerships.”
What the Pre-Summit Looked Like on the Ground
The Pre-Summit brought together over 200 startup founders, 70-plus investors and venture capital leaders, and 50-plus industry leaders, corporate partners, and senior government stakeholders across two intensive days.
IIT Bombay Director Shireesh Kedare described the two-day summit as a crucial step in transforming India from a service provider to a manufacturer in deep tech. He highlighted the robust startup ecosystem at IIT Bombay and called on educational institutions, investors, and the corporate world to work together to back emerging founders.
The Pre-Summit showcased innovations across 13 critical technology domains, including Advanced Computing, Healthcare and MedTech, Space and Defence, Energy and Sustainability, Semiconductors, Biotechnology, Smart Cities and Mobility, Blue Economy, Next-Gen Communications, Agri and Food Technologies, Advanced Materials, Manufacturing and Industry 4.0, and Disaster Management.
India’s Scientific Leadership Speaks
The event drew some of India’s most senior science and policy voices.
Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India and Chairperson of PM-STIAC, inaugurated the summit. He emphasised: “Deep-tech innovation is critical in shaping India’s technological leadership and global competitiveness. Academic institutions, research ecosystems and startups must work together to advance cutting-edge technologies.”
Dr. K. Radhakrishnan, former Chairman of ISRO and current Chairperson of the Board of Governors at IIT Bombay, addressed the founders directly. He told them: “You are going to write a new history for India. When you go to France, you will be ambassadors of India. There is a thin line between national fame and national shame — make India proud.”
Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology, placed the summit in the context of India’s surging startup credentials. He noted that India is now the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world with nearly two lakh startups and around 125 unicorns, a remarkable rise from just 24 unicorns in 2017-18. More than 1,000 investors are now active in India and nearly Rs 70-80 billion in venture capital has flowed into Indian startups in recent years.
Closing the Deep-Tech Funding Gap
Karandikar also flagged the persistent financing gap in deep tech specifically. He highlighted that of total venture capital investments, only about $4-5 billion has gone into deep tech. To address this, he announced that in July 2025 the Union Cabinet approved a historic Rs 1 lakh crore Research, Development, and Innovation Fund, focused on private sector R&D including startups, through equity participation and flexible long-term financing. The Technology Development Board and BIRAC have been identified as fund managers.
Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi underscored that Bharat Innovates 2026 is a whole-of-government effort, bringing together the Ministry of Education, the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Biotechnology, the Space Department, and the Ministry of Defence on a single platform to demonstrate India’s deep-tech capabilities to the world.
The Road to Nice and Viksit Bharat 2047
Pradhan noted that future priorities for research and innovation include waste management, biomass treatment, bio-medicine, and hydrogen energy. He said: “In the coming days we will convert Bharat Innovates into an institutional mechanism. Unless we do research, we will not grow.”
He observed that India is uniquely positioned to develop solutions not just for itself but for the world, especially for countries seeking cost-effective and scalable innovations, adding: “Such platforms enable the convergence of ideas, talent, and resources, thereby accelerating the pace of innovation.”
The 137 selected startups now move toward the international showcase in Nice on June 14 to 16, 2026, as part of the India-France Year of Innovation. For the Global South, watching closely, the stakes are real. Affordable agri-tech, accessible healthcare diagnostics, and clean energy solutions from Indian labs could reshape what development looks like for billions of people. That is the promise Bharat Innovates 2026 is now carrying to the world stage.
Clear Cut Startups, Research Desk
New Delhi, UPDATED: March 28, 2026 05:00 IST
Written By: Ayushman Meena
