New Delhi, 20 March (H.S.): The Ministry of Education is set to host the Bharat Innovates Deep‑Tech Pre‑Summit at the Research Park of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay on March 21–22, 2026, as part of a major push to position India as a global leader in deep‑tech innovation. Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan will address a special session during the two‑day event.
According to the Ministry, the pre‑summit will provide a national platform to around 137 emerging deep‑tech startups shortlisted from over 3,000 applications received from across the country. The programme will bring together more than 200 startup founders, 70+ investors and venture capital representatives, and 50+ industry leaders.
The inaugural session will feature India’s Principal Scientific Adviser, Ajay Kumar Sood, along with several senior scientists, academics, and policymakers. Senior officials from the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and IIT‑linked deep‑tech entrepreneurs will also participate.
The Bharat Innovates initiative was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the inauguration of the India‑France Year of Innovation 2026. The event is designed to strengthen partnerships between India’s higher education institutions, startups, and global investors.
The pre‑summit will showcase innovations in 13 key technology areas, including advanced computing, healthcare and medtech, space and defence, energy and sustainability, semiconductors, biotechnology, smart cities, agri‑tech, and Industry 4.0.
Organisers say the summit will play a crucial role in showcasing India’s deep‑tech startups on global platforms, attracting investment, and strengthening the journey from research to market. It will also form the basis for selecting Indian startups to represent the country at the international Innovation Showcase to be held in Nice, France, in June 2026.
Aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which places innovation at the centre of the higher education ecosystem, this initiative is being viewed as a significant step towards the “Viksit Bharat 2047” vision.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
