The CII Innoverge 2026 will bring together policymakers, industry leaders, startups, academia, and innovation ecosystem stakeholders under the theme “Transforming India into an AI-Led Product Nation – Innovation, Trust & Technology.”

The theme marks a continuation of CII’s push, first sharpened at last year’s edition, to reposition India from a services-led technology hub to a builder of globally competitive, AI-native products.With INNOVERGE 2026, CII extends that trajectory into a sharper focus on artificial intelligence as the connective thread across manufacturing, mobility, life sciences, energy, and national security, underscoring India’s ambition to move from adopting AI to building and exporting AI-led products.Mr Piyush Goyal, Hon’ble Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Government of India will be addressing the Summit.Mr D K Shivakumar, Hon’ble Chief Minister, Government of Karnataka will also be addressing the Summit.Mr Priyank Kharge, Hon’ble Minister for Home, Information Technology, Biotechnology and E-Governance, Government of Karnataka, will address the Summit, highlighting the State’s vision for globally competitive and innovation-driven economy.

The event will also feature the participation of the Secretaries of the Department of Commerce & Industries and the Department of Information Technology, Biotechnology & Science & Technology, who will share the Government’s vision, policy priorities, and strategic initiatives to accelerate innovation, technology-led growth, and industrial competitiveness in the State across sectors.Addressing the media Mr Kris Gopalakrishnan, Past President, CII, Mentor, CII Innoverge 2026, Co-Founder, Infosys Ltd & Chairman, Axilor Ventures said “For over two decades, CII has championed technology-led innovation as a driver of economic growth, job creation and new opportunities for industry.

With AI emerging as a transformative force, I believe we must leverage this disruption to create new momentum for our companies and our country. This is a defining moment for India to invest in innovation, R&D and indigenous technologies, and transition into a true product nation one that develops globally relevant products and technologies adopted by the world.”Mr Kamal Bali, Chairman, CII Innoverge 2026 & President & Managing Director, Volvo Group India added “I believe India is at a pivotal moment in its innovation journey. We must move beyond being a technology adopter and services powerhouse to becoming a creator of trusted, competitive, scalable and globally relevant products.

AI will be a key enabler across sectors—from design and manufacturing to customer experience, supply chains and sustainability. With our strong talent pool, expanding infrastructure, growing manufacturing capabilities, world-class research institutions, supportive policy environment and robust domestic market, I am confident that India has all the ingredients to emerge as a global product nation in the era of AI”.Mr Guruprasad Mudlapur, Chairman, CII Karnataka State Council, President & Managing Director, Bosch Group India, Bosch Ltd, Mr Rabindra Srikantan, Immediate Past Chairman, CII Karnataka State Council & Managing Director, ASM Technologies Ltd, Mr Sam Cherian, Vice Chairman, CII Karnataka State Council & Founder Chairman, Schevaran Group and others were present.Mr Deepak Bagla, Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission, Government of India, will deliver a special address on “Innovation at the Grassroots,” highlighting the critical role of inclusive innovation, entrepreneurship and the startup ecosystem in driving India’s transformation into an AI-led product nation.