Modi showcases India’s tech transformation, calls for global partnerships at VivaTech 2026
By Aroonim Bhuyan
New Delhi/Paris, June 18. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 18 highlighted India’s rapid technological transformation and called on global innovators and businesses to partner with the country, saying technology must be democratised and made accessible to all.
Addressing the 10th edition of VivaTech, Europe’s largest technology event, in Paris, Modi said India and Europe were entering a new phase of cooperation following the conclusion of a “historic” India-European Union Free Trade Agreement earlier this year, which he said would boost trade, investment and exchanges in talent, technology and tourism.
He also underlined the significance of the India-France Year of Innovation, saying it was helping bring the innovation ecosystems of India and Europe closer together. Referring to the recently held Bharat Innovates event in Nice and the ongoing VivaTech summit in Paris, Modi said Indian startups were forging new partnerships with their global counterparts.
Recalling his address to VivaTech in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Prime Minister said the world was once again witnessing disruptions and reiterated his earlier message that innovation could provide solutions when conventional approaches fail.
Highlighting India’s digital transformation over the past decade, Modi said the country had created some of the world’s largest digital public infrastructure platforms. He noted that half of all real-time digital transactions globally now take place in India through the Unified Payments Interface (UPI), which is also available for use in France at locations such as the Eiffel Tower and Paris airport.
The Prime Minister cited DigiLocker, which has more than 700 million users and hosts over 2,000 standard documents, as another example of India’s digital public goods ecosystem. He also pointed to the PM Gati Shakti platform, which integrates over 1,600 geospatial data layers to enable data-driven infrastructure planning and significantly reduce project survey timelines.
Modi highlighted the Svamitva scheme, launched six years ago, which uses drones and geospatial technologies to provide property records to rural households. According to him, more than 31 million property cards have been prepared across nearly 200,000 villages, enabling families to leverage their land holdings as financial assets.
The Prime Minister said Indian startups were increasingly deploying technology to address grassroots challenges. He cited AI-based applications that assist women dairy farmers in local languages, the training of women as drone pilots for agricultural operations and the use of satellite data to help fishermen identify productive fishing zones.
Emphasising India’s achievements in advanced technologies, Modi noted that India had become the first country to land near the Moon’s south pole and said the country’s prototype fast breeder reactor had recently achieved criticality, bringing India closer to realising its three-stage nuclear energy programme based on thorium reserves.
With more than 200,000 startups, India has emerged as one of the world’s most vibrant innovation ecosystems, he said, urging participants to visit the India Pavilion at VivaTech. He said the pavilion showcased cutting-edge innovations ranging from the world’s first single-piece 3D-printed rocket engine and advanced genetic therapies to AI-driven healthcare solutions, cybersecurity technologies, autonomous robots and smart mobility systems.
As the AI Country Partner at VivaTech 2026, India advocates an inclusive approach to artificial intelligence, Modi said, adding that for India, AI stands for “All Inclusive”. He stressed that artificial intelligence should improve lives, promote growth and contribute to environmental sustainability.
Describing India as an open society with the world’s largest talent pool, Modi said the government was simplifying regulations and supporting innovation with targeted incentives worth over $50 billion, while also providing affordable data and low-cost green energy.
“Our approach is clear. Our government will enable and industry will innovate. Startups will disrupt and global partners will scale with us,” Modi said, inviting businesses and innovators around the world to partner with India and “deliver for all”.
The Prime Minister also congratulated French President Emmanuel Macron and the organisers on the success of VivaTech, which is celebrating its 10th edition this year.
