Mumbai, March 22 (NationPress) - Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stated on Sunday that over the next decade, young innovators will tackle not only the deep tech challenges facing India but also those of the global community, particularly the Global South and emerging economies.

In his closing address at the Bharat Innovates deep-tech pre-summit held at IIT Bombay, he emphasized that academia, the industry, financial sectors, and the youth are crucial in elevating India as a leading force in innovation and technology.

“Indian technology is gaining global attention in areas like digital transactions, affordable healthcare, and generic medicines. The Global South is looking to adopt our technology rather than that of the Western bloc,” Pradhan remarked, advocating for enhanced collaboration between academia and industry to ensure technology serves public interests.

He proposed adopting an “India-Fast” strategy to fulfill the expectations and needs of the expanding economy.

“As we expand, we must meet the aspirational spending and expectations of our citizens,” he noted, highlighting the importance of harmonizing traditional knowledge with the innovations of the younger generation.

“In the near future, we will establish Bharat Innovates as a formal mechanism. Research is essential for growth. Areas like waste management, biomass treatment, bio-medicine, and hydrogen require significant research and innovation efforts,” he stated.

Pradhan added, “It is inspiring to see the level of innovation emanating from India’s startup ecosystem, which is sharply focused on technology-driven development, sustainability, and tangible impact. Such initiatives are crucial for linking ideas with investment and fostering scalable, forward-thinking enterprises.”

Earlier, he engaged with over 200 startup founders and investors at the Bharat Innovates deep-tech pre-summit, according to an official statement.

This two-day event showcased startups, facilitated investor interactions, and promoted industry networking, presenting around 137 promising deep-tech startups selected from a pool of more than 3,000 applications nationwide, the official added.

The Bharat Innovates initiative was introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the launch of the India-France Year of Innovation.

A flagship program of the Ministry of Education, it operates under the strategic oversight of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India.

Bharat Innovates 2026 is set to unfold across three key milestones: National Basecamp in Gandhinagar and Mumbai (December 2025 and January 2026); Bharat Innovates Deep-Tech Pre-Summit at IIT Bombay (March 21–22, 2026); and an International Innovation Showcase in Nice, France (June 14–16, 2026).

The Pre-Summit gathered over 200 startup founders, 70+ investors and venture capital leaders, 50+ industry leaders, corporate partners, senior government officials, and innovation missions.

The Bharat Innovates Deep-Tech Pre-Summit highlighted innovations across 13 critical technology domains, including Advanced Computing, Healthcare and MedTech, Space and Defence, Energy and Sustainability, Semiconductors, Biotechnology, Smart Cities and Mobility, Blue Economy, Next-Gen Communications, Agri and Food Technologies, Advanced Materials, Manufacturing & Industry 4.0, and Disaster Management.