Karnataka Hosts GIA Meet to Drive Global Tech Partnerships
* GIA Meet invites global participation in BTS 2026
* BTS 2026 to be held at BIEC from 17–19 November 2026
* 75+ countries expected to participate
* Partner countries invited to host pavilions, conference sessions and other activities
* New GIA Engagement Framework and GIGA Initiative announced to make international collaboration more structured, reciprocal and outcome-oriented
Bengaluru, October 6, 2026: The Department of Electronics, IT & Biotechnology, Government of Karnataka, under its Global Innovation Alliance (GIA) initiative, hosted the GIA Meet today at Hotel Four Seasons to promote the Bengaluru Tech Summit 2026 (BTS 2026) among its partner countries and international trade mission representatives.
The Meet was attended by Priyank Kharge, Hon’ble Minister for Home, IT & Bt and E-Governance, Government of Karnataka; Dr. Manjula N, IAS, Chairperson, BWSSB, Secretary to Government, Department of Electronics, IT, Bt and S&T, Government of Karnataka; Dr. Avinash Menon Rajendran, IAS, Managing Director, KITS & KEONICS and Director, Department of E, IT, Bt and S&T, Government of Karnataka; Dr. E. V. Ramana Reddy, IAS (Retd.), Chairman, Karnataka Skill Development Authority; and Jagdish Patankar, Event Curator, BTS 2026 and Executive Chairman, MM Activ Sci-Tech Communications, along with global collaboration partners and representatives from more than 40 countries.
Speaking at the GIA Meet, Priyank Kharge said,
“GIA 2.0 is about moving from engagement to execution, from MOUs to outcomes, and from delegations to enduring partnerships. Ecosystem-to-ecosystem relationships will always outlast individual transactions. Our ambition is to make Karnataka not just a destination for investment, but one of the world’s most consequential innovation partners – a place where global ideas meet Indian scale, where global technology meets Indian talent, and where partnerships do not end with an MOU; they begin with one.”
He added, “Under GIA 2.0, success will not be measured by the number of delegations or MOUs alone, but by how many startups enter new markets, how many technologies are jointly developed, how many research programmes are launched, how many pilots become businesses, and how many investments and jobs are created. We want our international partners to bring their startups, innovations, universities, researchers and companies to Karnataka and build long-term programmes with us.”
The Global Innovation Alliance (GIA), an initiative of the Department of Electronics, IT and Biotechnology, Government of Karnataka, fosters partnerships with leading technology and innovation nations. Launched in 2017 under the Karnataka Unit for International Cooperation (KUIC), the GIA network has expanded from 10 countries in 2018 to over 40 formal partner countries by 2026, while engaging with more than 90 countries globally.
The GIA Meet was convened to further strengthen cross-border collaboration in the lead-up to Bengaluru Tech Summit 2026, scheduled to take place from 17–19 November at BIEC, Bengaluru. Dr. Manjula N, IAS, presented an overview of the Summit and highlighted opportunities for partner countries to showcase their cutting-edge technologies, government initiatives, leading industry players and academic excellence through the international exhibition, conference and country delegations.
The New GIA Engagement Framework & GIGA Initiative
To support the next phase of GIA, the Government of Karnataka is introducing a new GIA Engagement Framework aimed at making international collaboration more structured, reciprocal and outcome-oriented.
The framework organises engagement across four tracks:
* Global Startup Mobility and Market Access
* International Institutional Partnerships
* Global Visibility and Strategic Engagements
* Governance through a dedicated International Desk
As part of this next phase, Karnataka is also developing GIGA – the Global Innovation and Growth Alliance, a dedicated physical infrastructure in Bengaluru for international innovation engagement.
GIGA is envisaged as a permanent landing and collaboration space for partner-country startups, innovation agencies, delegations and institutions, offering workspace, meeting and programme facilities while connecting them with Karnataka’s Centres of Excellence, incubators, universities, industry, investors and startup ecosystem.
The objective is to create a tangible gateway through which international partners can establish a presence, engage with Karnataka’s ecosystem, explore market opportunities and build sustained collaborations in the state.
About Bengaluru Tech Summit 2026
BTS 2026 will be held at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC) from 17–19 November 2026. The Summit is expected to bring together 90,000+ attendees, 1,000+ tech startups, 1,000+ investors, 25,000+ delegates, 700+ speakers and 1,800+ exhibitors, with participation from 75+ countries and all 36 States and Union Territories of India.
Aligned with the theme ‘AI & Beyond’, BTS 2026 will feature 16 tracks including IT & DeepTech, Electro-Semicon, Digital Health & Biotech, Startup Ecosystem, Data & Cybersecurity, Global Collaboration and India-USA Tech Conclave, alongside new tracks including AI Universe, Finverse, Frontier Tech and Orange Economy.
The BTS 2026 Global Stage will feature country sessions from 16+ nations, creating a platform for international dialogue on technology and innovation.
The Summit will also feature the Future Makers Conclave, a multi-pavilion international exhibition, the maiden India edition of embedded world India, and the Robotics & Autonomous Systems Arena, alongside investor pitching, mentoring, startup and international market-access programmes.
