Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron held delegation-level talks in Nice, France, to launch the Bharat Innovates 2026 event.
The initiative marks a strategic push to integrate Indian deep-tech startups into the European market. By fostering investment partnerships during the India-France Year of Innovation, both nations aim to accelerate the development of emerging technologies.
Bharat Innovates 2026 is a three-day event [1] designed to showcase the capabilities of Indian innovators. The program features 120 startups [2] and involves more than 15 premier institutions [2] to demonstrate India's growing technical infrastructure.
The meeting in Nice served as a focal point for the two leaders to discuss cross-border innovation. The delegation-level talks focused on creating sustainable frameworks for technology exchange and encouraging French venture capital to engage with the Indian startup ecosystem.
This collaboration is part of a broader two-nation visit by the Indian Prime Minister. The event aims to position India as a global hub for deep-tech research while providing French partners with access to a diverse pool of high-growth companies.
Officials said the event is intended to solidify the strategic partnership between the two countries. The focus remains on scaling innovations that can be applied to global challenges through shared research and development efforts.
“Bharat Innovates 2026 is a three-day event designed to showcase the capabilities of Indian innovators.”
The launch of Bharat Innovates 2026 signals a shift in India-France relations from traditional defense and aerospace cooperation toward a more integrated technology and venture capital partnership. By leveraging the 'Year of Innovation,' India is attempting to pivot its global image from a service-oriented IT hub to a deep-tech product leader, while France seeks to diversify its technological partnerships within the Indo-Pacific region.
