Nice[France]: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron on June 14, Sunday jointly inaugurated the ‘Bharat Innovates 2026’ conclave in Nice, bringing together leading startups, innovators and venture capital funds from India, France and several other countries. The high-profile event, which brings together top innovation startups from India, France and the world, marks a crucial milestone in the ongoing ‘India-France Year of Innovation’ and underscores the rapidly expanding tech partnership between the two nations.
The three-day innovation conclave, running from June 14 to June 16, serves as a powerful platform to connect Indian innovators with global investors, industry leaders and academic institutions. The joint launch by PM Modi and President Macron signals the growing importance of technology and innovation in the India-France relationship, which has seen deepened cooperation in recent years across sectors ranging from defence and space to digital technology and artificial intelligence.
More than 120 Indian deep-tech startups and over 15 leading higher education institutions, including the premier IITs and other research organisations, are participating in the event. The event is a landmark opportunity for India to showcase its deep-tech capabilities to a global audience, attract international funding and secure vital partnerships in emerging technologies. The event will spotlight cutting-edge innovations across future-focused domains such as advanced computing, semiconductors, space technology, defence innovation, biotechnology, healthcare and climate solutions.
Speaking at the Bharat Innovates programme in France. Innovation, technology and the aspirations of our youth are driving India’s transformation and shaping the future.@BharatInnov2026
https://t.co/66fM69ixSl— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 14, 2026
India is a contributor of solutions to global challeneges; France is a partner with shared values & vision: PM Modi
India is emerging as a contributor of solutions to the world, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on June 14, Sunday and noted that innovation, technology and the aspirations of the country’s youth are driving India’s transformation and shaping the future. The Prime Minister, who inaugurated Bharat Innovates 2026 said there are few relations which are driven by shared vision, besides shared interests and India-France relations is one such example.
“This relationship has connection, conviction, innovation, inspiration, shared values and shared vision. Based on the foundation of this relationship, we have together launched new initiatives and guided new ideas in the past few years. We have also made all efforts to find solutions to global challenges. Be it International Solar Alliance, AI-related dialogues, our partnership from security to sustainability-meaning, our two nations have worked together in finding solutions to challenges related to humanity”, reiterated Prime Minister Modi.
“In February this year, India-France Year of Innovation was started. I am delighted that today we are inaugurating ‘Bharat Innovates’ with France”. he added.
Happy to meet you in Nice, my friend President Macron. Thank you for taking part in ‘Bharat Innovates’ at a time when our nations are marking the ‘Year of Innovation.’@EmmanuelMacron pic.twitter.com/dgeuKiaFd8
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 14, 2026
India is spearheading global innovation: President Macron
French President Emmanuel Macron praised India’s growing role in shaping global technological progress, describing the country as “spearheading global innovation” and reaffirming France’s commitment to deepening cooperation with India in areas ranging from artificial intelligence to clean energy and scientific research.
Addressing the ‘Bharat Innovates’, Macron said India’s innovation ecosystem, vast talent pool and research capabilities have made it a leading force in global technological advancement. “A country with 1.4 billion inhabitants, a country who pays on know-how and research knowledge and training as many engineers as Europe and the US combined, more than one million per year. So in every respect, a country with research innovations and frontier models is spearheading global innovation”, Macron said.
The French President said the relationship between India and France is built on a shared belief in innovation and international cooperation. “The question is no longer whether India innovates. The question is who will innovate with India,” he said, adding that France was honoured to host the first Bharat Innovates event outside India. Welcoming Prime Minister Modi to Nice, Macron noted that the event follows the launch of the France-India Year of Innovation and serves as a platform to connect Indian startups and innovators with French partners, investors and researchers.
Highlighting cooperation in emerging technologies, Macron said India and France support an open and collaborative approach to artificial intelligence at a time when some countries are seeking to restrict access to advanced AI models. “Recent days, we have seen the temptation to close up the AI models and to make them a powerful tool and to stop any cooperation. That temptation is growing up. But India and France believe in a true partnership, in multilingualism respect, in cooperative AI and an open model for the greater good”, he said.
PM Modi interacts with venture capitalists & global investors
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also interacted with leading venture capitalists, global investors and innovation ecosystem leaders in Nice, France, ahead of the inauguration of the Bharat Innovates 2026. Minister of Commerce and Industries Piyush Goyal, along with the Principal Scientific Advisor Ajay Kumar Sood, was also present there during the interaction. Among those the Prime Minister interacted included CEO of OYO Rooms, Ritesh Agarwal and Indian entrepreneur Ronnie Screwvala, along with several global investors and innovation ecosystem leaders.
(With Inputs from ANI)
