New Delhi: The two-day ‘Bharat Innovates Exposition’ showcasing India’s deep-tech innovations kicked off at Bharat Mandapam here on Friday ahead of the 18th BRICS Summit 2026, to be held on 12th and 13th September under India’s BRICS Chairship.
The exposition, organised by the Ministry of Education in coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs, is a national programme of the Education Ministry, designed as a global accelerator for innovations from the Indian Higher Education Ecosystem – building a long-term collaboration between India’s innovation ecosystem (startups, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), labs and research parks) and global stakeholders such as corporates, investors, incubators, universities, research institutes, governments and overseas alumni.
The BRICS Bharat Innovates (BBI) Exposition marks the second major exposition of India’s deep-tech startups in 2026 after the maiden edition of Bharat Innovates that was held in Nice, France from 14-16 June 2026.
BBI is showcasing India’s 37 deep-tech startups out of the original cohort of 120 ventures that participated in BI 2026 in Nice, alligning with the theme of India’s BRICS Chairship, “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”.
The exposition is being held alongside BRICS Business Forum on Friday, providing participating innovators an opportunity to network with CEOs, investors, business leaders and industry representatives from BRICS member countries. This will facilitate opportunities for B2B engagements, technology partnerships, investment discussions, business linkages and international market access. The Exposition also advances the BRICS Education Track priority of “Enhancing Research, Innovation and Start-up Ecosystems”, one of the five priority areas identified under India’s BRICS Chairship 2026.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Education Minister Pralhad Joshi and BRICS leaders are expected to visit the BBI Exposition. Senior Indian and international delegates associated with the BRICS Leaders’ engagements as well as CEOs, investors and senior business leaders from BRICS member countries are also expected to visit the BBI Exposition.
For the participating startups, the BBI Exposition offers a high-profile platform to convert domestic innovation into international commercial and diplomatic outcomes, including, direct access to BRICS CEOs and investors, Head-of-State/Government visibility, B2B meetings and structured matchmaking facilitated in coordination with FICCI, CII and ASSOCHAM, and brand and diplomatic credibility.
BRICS Bharat Innovates Exposition builds on the Ministry of Education’s engagements under India’s BRICS Chairship 2026. 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, outlining cooperation across five priority areas, including Strengthening Early Childhood Care and Education and Foundational Literacy and Numeracy; Skill Development and TVET; Research, Innovation and Start-up Ecosystems; Mutual Recognition of Qualifications; and Capacity Building for Academic Leadership and Institutional Development.
(IANS)
