India hosts Paris roadshow for Bharat Innovates 2026

India has stepped up efforts to position its deep-tech ecosystem on the global stage with a Paris roadshow for Bharat Innovates 2026, an initiative aimed at connecting Indian startups and higher education-led innovation projects with international investors, corporates and research institutions.

Organised by the Ministry of Education, the pre-event roadshow was held in Paris as part of preparations for Bharat Innovates 2026, which is scheduled to take place from 14 to 16 June in Nice, France. The initiative seeks to showcase India’s rapidly growing deep-tech startup ecosystem and university-driven innovation landscape to global stakeholders.

The Paris event brought together representatives from the Ministry of Education, the Embassy of India in Paris, the Confederation of Indian Industry and more than 50 participants from the French business and innovation ecosystem.

Participants included organisations and institutions such as La French Tech, VivaTech, ESCP Business School, ESSEC, INRIA, École Normale Supérieure, Agence Française de Développement and representatives from the Indo-French Chamber of Commerce. Venture capital networks, advisory firms, legal organisations, startup groups and industry participants also attended the roadshow.

Focus on global partnerships

According to the Ministry of Education, the objective of the roadshow was to brief potential investors and international partners on the scope, structure and investment opportunities associated with Bharat Innovates 2026.

Addressing the gathering, K. M. Praphullachandra Sharma, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Education, highlighted the importance of the initiative in strengthening international collaboration under the India-France Special Global Strategic Partnership.

Another presentation by Joint Secretary Govind Jaiswal outlined opportunities for French and global investors to engage with India’s expanding innovation ecosystem.

The roadshow also highlighted Bharat Innovates 2026 as an investor-focused platform designed to facilitate direct engagement between startups, institutions, investors and industry leaders through curated matchmaking sessions, startup showcases and sector-focused discussions.

Frontier technologies take centre stage

A major focus of Bharat Innovates 2026 will be 13 frontier technology sectors identified by the government as key areas for future growth and global collaboration. These sectors include:

• Advanced Computing
• Semiconductors
• Next-Generation Communications
• Advanced Materials and Critical Minerals
• Biotechnology
• Space and Defence
• Manufacturing and Industry 4.0

Officials said the initiative aims to strengthen the connection between innovators, academic institutions, investors and industry stakeholders. The government has increasingly been encouraging collaboration between universities, startups and private industry as India attempts to move beyond consumer internet businesses into research-driven and high-technology sectors.

A global accelerator for Indian innovation

The Bharat Innovates initiative was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 17 February 2026 during the inauguration of the India-France Year of Innovation in the presence of French President Emmanuel Macron.

The Ministry of Education has described Bharat Innovates 2026 as a “Global Accelerator for the Indian Education Ecosystem”, intended to take university-led Indian innovations “from lab to market and from India to the world.” The final event in Nice is expected to serve as a platform for Indian startups and institutions to engage with global investors, multinational companies, universities and technology organisations.

The investor-focused structure of the conclave is expected to facilitate high-value interactions through one-to-one meetings, startup exhibitions and discussions around technology partnerships, investment opportunities and market access.

Building momentum ahead of Nice

The Paris roadshow concluded with an interactive question-and-answer session that allowed participants to directly engage with the Indian delegation and discuss possible collaborations in innovation, research and investment.

According to the Ministry of Education, the participation of investors, academic institutions, innovation platforms, corporate leaders and Indo-French business groups reflected growing international interest in India’s deep-tech ecosystem.

The government views the roadshow as an important step in building global momentum ahead of the main Bharat Innovates 2026 showcase in Nice next month. As India pushes to strengthen its position in advanced technology sectors, initiatives such as Bharat Innovates 2026 indicate a broader effort to connect domestic innovation ecosystems with global capital, research networks and industrial partnerships.