Overview The Ministry of Education is organising the Bharat Innovates Deep‑Tech Pre‑Summit at the IIT Bombay Research Park on 21–22 March 2026 . Union Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan will address a special session, underscoring the government’s push to position India as a global deep‑tech hub. Key Developments ~ 137 deep‑tech startups selected from >3,000 applications will showcase innovations across 13 technology domains. Inaugural session chaired by Principal Scientific Adviser Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood. Participation of senior officials: Dr. Vineet Joshi (Secretary, Dept. of Higher Education), Prof. Abhay Karandikar (Secretary, Dept. of Science & Technology), Dr. Rajesh Sudhir Gokhale (Secretary, Dept. of Biotechnology), and Dr. K. Radhakrishnan (Chairperson, Board of Governors, IIT Bombay). Presence of eminent deep‑tech entrepreneurs from IITs, e.g., Manoj Meena (Co‑founder, Atomberg Technologies) and Prof. Rahul Purwar (Founder, ImmunoAct). Important Facts Event aligns with the three‑phase roadmap of Bharat Innovates 2026 : National Basecamps (Gandhinagar, Mumbai), Pre‑Summit (IIT Bombay), and International Innovation Showcase (Nice, France, 14–16 June 2026). Showcasing domains: Advanced Computing, Healthcare & MedTech, Space & Defence, Energy & Sustainability, Semiconductors, Biotechnology, Smart Cities & Mobility, Blue Economy, Next‑Gen Communications, Agri & Food Tech, Advanced Materials, Manufacturing & Industry 4.0, Disaster Management. Stakeholder mix: 200+ startup founders , 70+ investors/VCs , 50+ industry leaders , and senior government representatives. Targeted technologies span TRL 3–9 , aiming to accelerate them to global deployment. UPSC Relevance The summit illustrates the government's "whole‑of‑ecosystem" approach, a theme frequently examined in GS‑III (Science & Technology) and GS‑I (Governance). Understanding the role of the NEP 2020 in fostering research‑to‑market pipelines helps answer questions on education reforms. The involvement of the Principal Scientific Adviser and the PM‑STIAC highlights the policy‑level coordination required for large‑scale innovation drives. Way Forward Identify and nurture a curated cohort of deep‑tech startups for international exposure and funding. Facilitate early‑stage investments and strategic partnerships through pitch sessions and B2B meetings. Strengthen the research‑to‑market pipeline within Indian higher‑education institutions, aligning with the innovation ecosystem . Leverage the International Innovation Showcase in France to project India’s deep‑tech capabilities on a global stage. Through these steps, the Pre‑Summit aims to translate academic breakthroughs into commercially viable products, thereby contributing to India’s ambition of becoming a "Viksit Bharat" by 2047.