Bharat Innovates showcases India’s rise as global innovation hub: Dharmendra Pradhan

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday said that Bharat Innovates reflects India’s emergence as a global innovation hub, while addressing the concluding session of the Bharat Innovates Deep-Tech Pre-Summit at Indian Institute of Technology Bombay.

The Minister participated in a round-table discussions with investors and academia. He said that as a precursor to Bharat Innovates 2026 to be organised in Nice, France, today’s brainstorming session centred on advancing deep-tech innovation, strengthening industry–academia partnerships, and reinforcing the startup ecosystem. He underscored the need for sustained investment in emerging ventures to enable scale, encourage innovation and support research-led entrepreneurship.

Speaking at the event, Pradhan emphasised the need for sustained investment in emerging ventures to enable scale, promote research-driven entrepreneurship and foster innovation. He noted that Bharat Innovates aims to take India’s research and development-driven innovations to the global stage, while building international partnerships and unlocking investment opportunities.

Highlighting India’s growing capabilities, the minister said the country is well positioned to develop scalable and cost-effective solutions not only for itself but also for the Global South. He described the initiative as a platform that brings together ideas, talent and resources, accelerating innovation and strengthening collaboration between industry and academia.

On the sidelines of the summit, Pradhan chaired a roundtable attended by around 175 investors and industry leaders. He also interacted with innovators working across sectors such as energy, climate and sustainability, semiconductors, space and defence, healthcare, biotechnology, advanced computing, mobility and smart cities.

The event witnessed participation from 137 deep-tech startups selected from over 1,186 applications nationwide. Startup founders presented innovations in areas including artificial intelligence, advanced materials, clean technologies and next-generation manufacturing, attracting interest from investors and industry stakeholders.

The summit also facilitated interactions between startups, venture capital firms and industry representatives, enabling discussions on collaboration, commercialisation and global expansion.

Dignitaries present at the event included K. Radhakrishnan, Vineet Joshi, Abhay Karandikar and Shireesh Kedare.

Reiterating the government’s commitment to innovation, Pradhan stressed the importance of translating ideas from laboratories into market-ready solutions to create real-world impact. He expressed confidence that the innovations showcased at the pre-summit would play a key role in strengthening India’s position as a global leader in technology and entrepreneurship.

The Bharat Innovates Deep-Tech Pre-Summit marked a significant step in India’s innovation journey, with selected startups expected to represent the country’s deep-tech ecosystem at the international showcase in France in 2026.