Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Emerging Science, Technology and Innovation Conclave (ESTIC) 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on Tuesday evening, 27 October 2026, according to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). The three-day conclave, running from 27 to 29 October, is set to be the largest science-and-innovation gathering of its kind under the Viksit Bharat 2047 framework.

What the Conclave Covers

Deliberations will span 12 thematic areas, including artificial intelligence, biotechnology, advanced materials, manufacturing, healthcare, energy, and climate and ocean sciences. The focus will be on translating cutting-edge scientific advances into practical, market-ready applications — a recurring policy priority that has gained fresh urgency as India pushes to raise its global R&D standing.

The event is organised by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) under the guidance of the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government.

Deep-Tech Startups and Innovation Exhibition

A centrepiece of ESTIC 2026 will be a large-scale technology and innovation exhibition featuring approximately 150 deep-tech startup stalls highlighting indigenous scientific achievements. Engagement formats will include thematic videos, technology demonstrations, documentaries, informational kiosks, and augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) experiences — signalling an effort to make science communication more accessible to policymakers and the public alike.

ISRO's Showcase: Next-Gen Launch Vehicle and Chandrayaan Missions

ISRO Chairman V. Narayanan, speaking at a curtain-raiser event, confirmed that the space agency will present a model of a proposed next-generation heavy-lift launch vehicle capable of placing payloads exceeding 30,000 kg to low Earth orbit. The exhibition will also spotlight the Chandrayaan 4 and Chandrayaan 5 projects, which envisage sending Indian astronauts to the Moon — a milestone that would place India in an exclusive group of nations with crewed lunar capability.

Global Connect: Over 300 International Participants

A new initiative called the Global Connect Networking Event will bring together more than 300 invited participants from academia, research institutions, and industry — both domestic and international. The platform is designed to catalyse cross-border research partnerships, industry-academia collaboration, and pathways for moving innovations from laboratories to markets. This comes amid growing competition from China, the United States, and the European Union for leadership in deep-tech sectors.

Viksit Bharat 2047 Alignment

ESTIC 2026 is explicitly positioned as a building block for the government's Viksit Bharat 2047 vision — the target of becoming a developed economy by India's centenary of independence. Critics have previously noted that India's R&D expenditure as a share of GDP remains below 0.7%, well short of the 2% target set under earlier science policy frameworks, making the translation of conclave ambitions into budgetary commitments a key watchpoint.

With leading scientists, researchers, academicians, policymakers, industry leaders, and international experts converging at Bharat Mandapam over three days, the conclave is expected to produce a set of priority recommendations that will shape India's science and technology agenda in the months ahead.