Over 700 delegates, policymakers, industry leaders and global representatives deliberated on India's technology and innovation agenda across AI, deep-tech, manufacturing, mobility, defence, energy, water and emerging industries
The convention drew a broad cross-section of leadership across policy, industry and academia
The
Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) concluded the ICC World Technology Convention
2026 at the Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai, bringing two days of focused
deliberation on India's technology and industrial future to a close. Drawing
over 700 industry experts and participants across policymakers, industry
leaders, researchers, startups, technology companies and global delegates, the
convention examined how emerging technologies are reshaping manufacturing
competitiveness, infrastructure, supply chains, defence, energy, water systems
and enterprise operations, with a shared view that India's next phase of growth
will be defined by the depth and speed of its technology adoption.
The second day centred on artificial intelligence,
smart mobility, manufacturing competitiveness, water sustainability, GCCs and
Industry 4.0. On mobility and infrastructure, Abhijeet Sinha, Programme
Director, EoDB and NHEV, argued that India's infrastructure ambitions now
extend well beyond its borders. "India is not merely building
roads within its borders; outside them, it is defining the economic parameters
on which a global paradigm shift will take place. The India-Middle East
Corridor announced in 2023 is nothing less than the restoration of a trade
architecture that once gave India 23 percent of global GDP. Domestically, the
Prime Minister's 7C vision is now being delivered through the Triple E
framework of electric, electronic and efficient highways. When we needed the 30
MHz spectrum for vehicle-to-vehicle communication, cabinet and Ministry of Road
Transport approvals came within 30 days, because governance today is
evidence-based, not endlessly consultative. The answer to road discipline lies
in mandating ADAS across all vehicles and linking it to VEDAS, the Vehicle
Electronic Data Analytics System, so that every violation is recorded,
retrievable and actionable."
Dr Rajeev Singh, Director General, ICC,
said, "What this convention reflects is not just the breadth of
India's technology ambition but the urgency behind it. Across every session,
every sector and every conversation over these two days, the message has been
consistent: technology is no longer a support function; it is the primary
driver of industrial competitiveness, policy-making and economic growth. ICC is
committed to making this convention a globally relevant platform that connects
India's innovation ecosystem with the world, brings the right stakeholders into
the same room, and ensures that the ideas discussed here translate into
partnerships, policies and outcomes that matter."
The convention drew a broad cross-section of
leadership across policy, industry and academia. Key participants on day two
included Amitabh Ray, Chair, ICC National Expert Committee on Technology;
Aankur Patni, Vice-Chairman at ION Exchange India Limited; Aman Kirloskar, Director,
Kirloskar Pneumatics; H.E. Adolfo GarcÃa Estrada, Consul General of Mexico in
Mumbai; and Rahul Sahai, Chairman, Jammu Chapter, ICC, among other
policymakers, technologists and global industry representatives.
The first day set the broader context, with
discussions spanning energy and greentech, Mining 5.0, defence and aerospace,
agritech, medtech, fintech, cybersecurity and education technology, alongside
dedicated state sessions and B2B meetings. The day also saw ICC sign bilateral
MoUs with IIT Bombay and South Korea's Chungcheongnam-do Economic Promotion
Agency (CEPA), strengthening industry-academia linkages and expanding bilateral
trade and business collaboration between India and South Korea.
Deepak Bagla, Mission Director, Atal Innovation
Mission, NITI Aayog, noted that the more
significant development in India's innovation story was not the growing count
of startups but the spread of the instinct to innovate reaching students and
communities that were never part of this conversation before. Professor
Milind Atrey, Deputy Director, IIT Bombay, called for research to move
decisively out of laboratories and into products and startups built in closer
partnership with industry. Dr Sasmit Patra, Member of Parliament,
Rajya Sabha, made the case for technology-led mining governance, pointing
to AI-driven compliance systems, satellite monitoring and digital mine twins as
tools the sector must adopt to retain long-term public credibility.
Across both days, speakers underscored the need for
stronger collaboration among industry, academia, and government to accelerate technology adoption and support innovation-led growth, as India positions itself as a global manufacturing and digital hub over the decade ahead.
TAGS : #ICC #WorldTechnologyConvention #WTC2026 #TechnologyLed #IndustrialTransformation #AcrossSectors #Policymakers, #IndustryLeaders #Global Representatives #IndiaTechnology #InnovationAgenda #AI #Deep-tech #AIManufacturing #Mobility #Defence #Energy #Water #EmergingIndustries
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