As 120 Indian startups head to France for Bharat Innovates 2026, Sudarshan Mogasale argues India’s deep-tech moment has arrived and the country must now shift from building things to creating original ones
India has long been celebrated as a manufacturing and services powerhouse. But according to Sudarshan Mogasale, CEO of Dassault Systèmes Solutions Lab India, the country is now ready for something bigger: becoming a global hub for deep-tech design and original innovation.
From Making to Designing
Mogasale an ex-engineer of ISRO stated that India produces approximately 15 lakhs engineers each year and has the largest talent pool of engineers in the entire world. However, the real issue is that we can utilize this engineering workforce to not only create new products but also to be able to create new products that are unlike any previous version of a similar product.
Why Global Partnerships Matter
Deep tech, Mogasale noted, cannot be built in isolation. It depends on a web of foundational technologies, making partnerships with countries like France which bring established expertise in aerospace, automotive, and industrial engineering essential. He described India as the workforce of the future for the entire world, and called Bharat Innovates 2026 a moment to cherish. Dassault already backs a number of Indian startups through its 3DEXPERIENCE Lab programme.
The Power of Virtual Twins
One technology Mogasale highlighted is the virtual twin — a digital replica of a physical object that captures its shape, behaviour, and manufacturing process. By running optimisation digitally and at speed using AI, companies can test far more product iterations at a fraction of the cost of physical prototyping.
The Best Time to Be an Engineer
Mogasale shared a reverse view of what many young engineers fear regarding the potential of AI replacing them as engineers with an optimistic interpretation: now is a good time to be an engineer because AI will reduce many repetitive tasks therefore allowing engineers more freedom to use their creativity to develop more innovative products. At the same time, he believes there will be a surge of very small Indian companies who can develop large-impact products. He also expects that the larger area of opportunity for engineers will be through deploying AI in practice which will be a strong advantage for the country due to its large number and extensive capabilities of qualified engineers.
