PM Modi Shares Special Message For Harish Salve At ‘Bharat Innovates’, Commends India’s Startup And Tech Revolution

Nice: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the ‘Bharat Innovates’ programme in France on Sunday, with French President Emmanuel Macron present at the event. In his remarks, the Prime Minister commended former Solicitor General of India, King’s Counsel, UK and Senior Supreme Court Advocate Harish Salve for steering the organisation of the event. He also extended congratulations to Harish Salve and his team for bringing together India’s startup ecosystem on an international platform.

Speaking warmly about former Solicitor General of India, Harish Salve’s role, PM Modi outlined his contribution as Chairman of the IIT Delhi Board. The Prime Minister asserted that Salve's efforts had been central to shaping the programme. The gathering, held in the presence of President Macron, showcased growing cooperation between India and France in technology and entrepreneurship.

The event brought together a large number of young entrepreneurs, investors and innovators. PM Modi noted that the young audience reflected India’s changing identity, one driven by the confidence and energy of its youth. He framed the moment as a glimpse of the country’s future, where Indian talent is moving from merely adopting solutions to creating them for the world.

The event, held as the centrepiece of the India-France Year of Innovation, brought together international investors, industry leaders and startup founders to explore collaboration in emerging technologies.

'Bharat Innovates With Scale And Speed’, Says PM Modi

In his address, Prime Minister Modi said, “My friend Harish Salve, Chairman of the IIT Delhi Board, has made a significant contribution to its organization, and I extend my heartfelt congratulations to him and the entire team. Friends, today a large number of young entrepreneurs are present here. Here, you can see a glimpse of India’s future. You can see the confidence of India’s youth. You can feel the energy of a New India, an India that is emerging not as a consumer of solutions, but as a contributor of solutions. Here, some are working to transform rural life using artificial intelligence. Some are using satellite technology to support farmers. Several young innovators are building the future through smart cities, advanced manufacturing, and new materials. Others are ensuring a sustainable future through green hydrogen, electric mobility, and battery technology. And some startups are developing new technologies in the field of defence and security. Looking at your capabilities, I would say, Bharat innovates with scale and speed. Bharat innovates for a sustainable future. And Bharat innovates for the whole world.”

During his address, PM Narendra Modi also explained the range of work being done by Indian startups, saying some were using artificial intelligence (AI) to transform rural life, while others were applying satellite technology to support farmers. The PM added that several innovators were building the future through smart cities, advanced manufacturing and new materials. Others were focusing on sustainability through green hydrogen, electric mobility and battery technology, while a group of startups was developing new technologies in defence and security.

Innovation And Youth Aspiration Driving India’s Transformation

Speaking further at the ‘Bharat Innovates’ programme in France, PM Modi observed that innovation, technology and the aspirations of India’s youth were driving the country’s transformation and shaping its future. He emphasised that the new wave of entrepreneurship was rooted in solving real problems, from villages to global markets. The event with President Macron alongside signalled stronger India-France collaboration in research, startups and deep-tech ventures, as both leaders watched India’s young founders present ideas with global relevance.

‘Innovation Is Deeply Embedded In India’s DNA’

Connecting India’s modern startup ecosystem to its ancient heritage, PM Modi framed the country’s rapid technological evolution as a continuation of its historical spirit of discovery. He said, “Innovation is deeply embedded in India’s DNA. For thousands of years, Bharat has guided the world with its breakthroughs and wisdom. From mathematics to astronomy, and from medicine to yoga, Bharat’s contributions have been foundational to all of humanity. Today, we are building upon this rich heritage, giving it renewed direction and momentum.”

Reflecting on the last decade, PM Modi said that the world once viewed India primarily as a technology adopter, but the narrative had shifted. “Today, however, India is rapidly emerging as a technology provider. Innovations and solutions originating from Bharat have the potential to benefit a significant portion of humanity. Bharat Innovates shares this vision — serving as an invitation to the world to collaborate and co-create the next chapter of global innovation with India,” he said.

He stressed that this shift was not merely economic but rooted in human welfare, with India’s AI vision built on the concept of ‘AI for All’, dedicated to the welfare and happiness of all. “Today, India’s top priority is technology that serves humanity — innovation centred around people. This guiding principle has driven our digital revolution and lies at the core of India’s digital public infrastructure,” he added.

Third-Largest Startup Ecosystem And Reforms ‘Express Train’

Speaking at the inauguration, the Prime Minister underlined that over the past 11-12 years, India had built a robust ecosystem for innovation. “From patent filings to incubation networks, from Startup India to policy support, this entire journey has moved forward in mission mode. Today, India is the third-largest startup ecosystem in the world,” he said.

He stressed that the vision extended beyond major cities to grassroots innovators, with Atal Tinkering Labs in schools, hackathons and innovation challenges connecting young people, and incubators and research institutions expanding nationwide. He noted that women innovators were being linked with emerging technologies, and their role was growing. “As a result of all these efforts, India has witnessed transformational change on a large scale. Today, from Drone Didis to becoming founders of startups, our women power is writing new success stories,” he said.

PM Modi also stressed reforms in strategic sectors, saying that India’s defence sector had been opened up to harness youth energy, and today hundreds of startups associated with defence and space were doing remarkable work. He pointed to recent reforms in nuclear energy as creating new possibilities in clean energy, advanced reactors and frontier research. “This express train of reforms will not stop; it will continue to move forward. And the number of startups emerging from India will continue to multiply many times over,” the Prime Minister said.

Nice Conclave As Launchpad For Global Partnerships

Bharat Innovates 2026, held in Nice from June 14-16, brings together 120 Indian deep-tech innovators selected for their potential to impact global markets, 15 leading Higher Education Institutions, including India’s premier technical institutes, and over 500 investors ranging from venture capital firms to global industry leaders. The conclave focuses on 13 strategic sectors, including semiconductors, space technology, advanced computing, biotechnology and healthcare. The event served as a launchpad for Indian startups to scale internationally by facilitating technology validation, pilot projects and manufacturing partnerships, and a