The Union Ministry of Education, in coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs, is organising the ‘Bharat Innovates Exposition’ at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on 11–12 September 2026, bringing India’s deep-tech innovation ecosystem into the spotlight ahead of and alongside the 18th BRICS Summit, scheduled for 12–13 September under India’s BRICS Chairship.
The exposition is designed to showcase the capabilities of Indian deep-tech startups and create stronger international connections between innovators, investors, companies, research institutions and governments from BRICS countries.
Bharat Innovates aims to take Indian innovation global
Bharat Innovates is a national programme of the Ministry of Education aimed at building a long-term global platform for innovations emerging from India’s higher education ecosystem.
The initiative connects startups, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), laboratories and research parks with international stakeholders, including corporates, investors, incubators, accelerators, universities, research institutions, governments and overseas alumni.
Through this model, the programme seeks to move Indian innovations beyond domestic markets and create opportunities for global collaboration, investment and technology partnerships.
The BRICS Bharat Innovates (BBI) Exposition represents the second major showcase of India’s deep-tech startups under the Bharat Innovates programme in 2026.
37 deep-tech ventures take centre stage
The BBI Exposition will feature 37 Indian deep-tech startups and ventures, selected from the original cohort of 120 startups and ventures that participated in Bharat Innovates 2026 in Nice, France.
The exposition has been aligned with the overarching theme of India’s BRICS Chairship 2026 — “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”
The participating ventures will provide visitors and international stakeholders with an opportunity to explore technologies and innovations emerging from India’s research and startup ecosystem.
Platform for global business and investment
A key feature of the exposition is its positioning alongside the BRICS Business Forum on 11 September, enabling participating innovators to engage directly with business leaders and potential international partners.
The platform is expected to facilitate B2B engagements, technology partnerships, investment discussions, business linkages and international market access.
The initiative also supports the BRICS Education Track priority of “Enhancing Research, Innovation and Start-up Ecosystems,” one of the five priority areas identified during India’s BRICS Chairship.
For Indian startups, the exposition provides an opportunity to connect domestic technological capabilities with international commercial and diplomatic networks.
The programme will offer access to BRICS CEOs and investors, senior government representatives, international business leaders and potential partners. Structured matchmaking is also being facilitated in coordination with industry bodies including FICCI, CII and ASSOCHAM.
PM Modi, Pralhad Joshi among expected visitors
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister of Education Pralhad Joshi and BRICS leaders are expected to visit the exposition.
Senior Indian and international delegates participating in BRICS Leaders’ engagements, along with CEOs, investors and senior business representatives from BRICS member countries, are also expected to visit the showcase on 11–12 September.
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The presence of high-level political and business leadership is expected to provide participating startups with greater visibility and opportunities to establish international relationships.
Building on Bharat Innovates 2026 in France
The BBI Exposition builds on the success of the maiden edition of Bharat Innovates 2026, which was held in Nice, France, from 14–16 June under the India–France Year of Innovation 2026.
The event was jointly inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron and featured 120 Indian deep-tech startups and ventures across 13 thematic areas, with participation from 15 institutions, including IITs, IISc, BIRAC and iDEX.
The three-day event attracted more than 2,000 participants from 29 countries. It resulted in over 30 collaboration MoUs and partnerships, while Indian startups and ventures secured funding commitments worth US$254.5 million following around 1,350 B2B meetings.
The Delhi exposition seeks to build on that momentum by connecting Indian innovators with a broader BRICS-focused network of investors, companies, governments and research institutions.
Strengthening BRICS education and innovation cooperation
The exposition is also part of the Ministry of Education’s broader engagement under India’s BRICS Chairship 2026.
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The Ministry hosted the 13th BRICS Education Ministers’ Meeting on 7 August 2026 and the 3rd BRICS Senior Officials’ Meeting on Education on 5 August 2026 in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
The Education Ministers’ Meeting concluded with the adoption of the 13th BRICS Education Ministers’ Declaration, which outlined cooperation across five priority areas.
These include strengthening early childhood care and education and foundational literacy and numeracy; skill development and technical and vocational education and training; research, innovation and startup ecosystems; mutual recognition of qualifications; and capacity building for academic leadership and institutional development.
Against this backdrop, Bharat Innovates is positioned as more than a technology exhibition. It is intended to serve as a bridge connecting India’s research and startup ecosystem with global markets, investment networks and international institutions.
With 37 deep-tech ventures taking the stage at Bharat Mandapam, the BBI Exposition places India’s emerging technological capabilities at the heart of the country’s BRICS engagement, highlighting innovation as a key driver of resilience, sustainable development and international cooperation.
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