By Team INVC | INVC NEWS
NEW DELHI, India | September 12, 2026 —
BRICS Deep-Tech 2026 has emerged as one of the most significant technology showcases alongside the 18th BRICS Summit as India presents 37 advanced innovations at the Bharat Innovates Exposition in New Delhi.
The two-day exhibition, being held on September 11 and 12 at Bharat Mandapam, brings together Indian startups, higher-education institutions, research labs and innovation ventures working across artificial intelligence, healthcare, clean energy, electric mobility, marine robotics and other deep-tech areas.
Among the most striking technologies on display are an AI-enabled cervical cancer screening system capable of delivering risk assessment in under 60 seconds, an AI-based maternal-fetal monitoring platform, a rare-earth-free electric powertrain, an advanced floating solar platform and a full-stack marine robotics system.
The exposition gives India an opportunity to move the BRICS conversation beyond geopolitics and trade into applied technology, scientific research and commercial innovation.
AI cervical cancer screening draws attention
One of the standout innovations is an artificial intelligence-enabled cervical cancer screening system.
The technology is designed to assess risk in less than a minute.
That speed could become particularly important in countries where access to specialist doctors, laboratories and large diagnostic infrastructure remains limited.
Cervical cancer remains a major public-health challenge across several developing economies.
A rapid screening platform could potentially support early risk identification and help healthcare systems prioritise patients who require further clinical assessment.
However, such technology should support qualified medical diagnosis rather than replace it.
Its presence at the BRICS exposition highlights how Indian deep-tech startups are increasingly building solutions around large-scale health challenges.
AI enters maternal-fetal monitoring
Another showcased innovation applies artificial intelligence to maternal and fetal monitoring.
The technology aims to use advanced data analysis to help clinicians track health indicators during pregnancy.
Such systems can be particularly valuable where specialist resources are limited and medical teams need faster interpretation of monitoring data.
The broader significance extends beyond a single product.
Healthcare AI has become one of the fastest-growing deep-tech areas because it combines software, medical data, sensors and clinical decision support.
India’s large healthcare system also gives domestic innovators an opportunity to develop technologies for high-volume, cost-sensitive environments.
Rare-earth-free e-powertrain could address supply-chain risk
A rare-earth-free electric powertrain is another major technology on display.
Electric vehicles commonly depend on motors that use rare-earth materials.
These materials are strategically important because global production and processing remain concentrated in a limited number of countries.
Reducing dependence on rare-earth inputs could therefore improve supply-chain resilience while lowering exposure to commodity or geopolitical disruptions.
For India, the technology has added importance because the country is pushing to expand domestic electric mobility and manufacturing.
If commercially scalable, rare-earth-free motor technologies could help manufacturers reduce dependence on imported critical materials.
Floating solar targets difficult water bodies
India is also showcasing an advanced floating solar photovoltaic platform designed for complex water bodies.
Floating solar has attracted interest because it allows renewable-energy generation without using large areas of valuable land.
Reservoirs, industrial water bodies and other suitable surfaces can potentially host solar installations.
However, floating systems also face technical challenges involving anchoring, water movement, corrosion and maintenance.
The technology on display reflects a wider effort to develop renewable-energy infrastructure suited to more demanding environments.
Marine robotics enters the BRICS showcase
A full-stack marine robotic platform for critical infrastructure inspection is also among the featured innovations.
Marine robotics can support inspection of ports, underwater structures, pipelines, offshore assets and other difficult-to-access infrastructure.
These systems can reduce the need for human divers in risky environments.
They can also collect data more frequently and potentially detect structural problems before they become serious failures.
As countries expand offshore energy, ports and marine infrastructure, robotic inspection is becoming increasingly important.
Why 37 innovations were selected
The 37 startups and ventures appearing at Bharat Mandapam were selected from a broader cohort associated with the Bharat Innovates programme.
The original 2026 cohort included 120 deep-tech startups and ventures.
The programme connects startups, higher-education institutions, laboratories and research parks with international companies, investors, incubators, universities, governments and other global stakeholders.
The New Delhi exposition represents the second major Bharat Innovates showcase this year.
The first edition took place in Nice, France, from June 14 to June 16.
That event featured 120 startups and ventures across 13 thematic areas and drew more than 2,000 participants from 29 countries.
Previous Bharat Innovates event generated investment interest
The earlier France edition produced more than 30 collaboration agreements and partnerships.
Participating Indian startups and ventures also secured funding commitments totaling about $254.5 million following approximately 1,350 business-to-business meetings.
Those numbers explain why the BRICS exposition is not simply a display event.
The government is using the platform to connect Indian innovators directly with investors, business leaders and international partners.
The New Delhi event therefore has a commercial objective alongside its diplomatic and scientific role.
BRICS leaders and investors get direct access to startups
The exposition is being organised by the Union Ministry of Education in coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi and leaders or senior representatives from BRICS countries are expected to visit the showcase.
Participating startups also gain access to CEOs, investors and industry representatives.
The platform includes opportunities for business meetings, technology partnerships, investment discussions and international market access.
That creates a direct connection between India’s innovation ecosystem and some of the world’s largest emerging economies.
Deep-tech becomes part of India’s BRICS strategy
India’s BRICS chairship for 2026 is built around the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”
Deep-tech fits directly into that framework.
Artificial intelligence can improve healthcare delivery.
Clean-energy technologies can support energy transition.
Electric powertrain innovation can reduce dependence on critical materials.
Marine robotics can strengthen infrastructure inspection.
These technologies also create opportunities for cross-border research and investment.
As a result, the exposition turns innovation into a practical BRICS cooperation agenda rather than treating technology as a side issue.
BRICS Education Track also focuses on startups
The Bharat Innovates showcase also supports the BRICS Education Track priority of strengthening research, innovation and startup ecosystems.
India hosted the BRICS Education Ministers’ Meeting in August.
Research and innovation were among the priority areas identified during those discussions.
That connection is significant because many deep-tech companies begin inside universities and research laboratories.
Commercialising scientific research requires funding, testing, industry partnerships and access to global markets.
The Bharat Innovates model attempts to connect those stages.
Deep-tech differs from ordinary startup technology
Deep-tech companies typically build around scientific breakthroughs or advanced engineering rather than only software applications or consumer platforms.
Their products can take years to develop.
They also often require laboratories, prototypes, regulatory approvals and significant capital before reaching the market.
Artificial intelligence in healthcare, robotics, new energy systems and advanced electric motors all fall into this category.
That makes investor access especially important.
Traditional startup funding models do not always work well for technologies that require long research and development cycles.
India wants to turn research into global businesses
The broader objective behind Bharat Innovates is to move Indian innovation beyond laboratory demonstrations.
India already has a large network of IITs, research institutes, universities and government-supported innovation programmes.
The challenge is converting research into scalable companies.
International events can help by giving startups access to foreign markets, investors and technology partners.
The BRICS grouping provides a particularly large potential market because its member countries span Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America.
BRICS Summit gives deep-tech a global stage
The timing gives the exposition unusual visibility.
The 18th BRICS Summit is bringing major international leaders and delegations to New Delhi.
While global governance, trade, security and economic cooperation dominate the summit agenda, the technology exhibition allows India to demonstrate practical solutions developed within its domestic innovation ecosystem.
For the 37 participating ventures, that exposure could be as valuable as any formal summit declaration.
A startup that secures a strategic investor, research partner or overseas customer can turn diplomatic visibility into commercial growth.
Why this matters for India
India’s deep-tech ambitions have grown rapidly.
The country wants to move beyond being primarily a software-services hub and build globally competitive companies in advanced scientific and engineering fields.
Healthcare AI, robotics, electric mobility and clean energy are among the sectors where that shift is already visible.
The BRICS Bharat Innovates Exposition provides a snapshot of that transition.
The most important test, however, will come after the summit.
The real impact will depend on how many technologies move from exhibition halls into hospitals, factories, energy projects, infrastructure systems and international markets.
For now, the 37 innovations at Bharat Mandapam show how technology is becoming a much larger part of India’s BRICS strategy.
