On 24 March 2026 the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, signed a memorandum of understanding with Blue Star Limited (Blue Star) to bolster India's manufacturing and startup ecosystem. The partnership aims to support startups, innovators and entrepreneurs working on heating, ventilation and air conditioning technologies, digital solutions, advanced manufacturing processes and supply chain innovation. The arrangement is intended to promote scalable and industry relevant products through structured engagement between industry and startups.

Under the agreement, startups will gain access to mentorship from industry experts, infrastructure support including research and development laboratories and testing facilities, pilot opportunities and market linkages. The initiative will facilitate key milestones such as product validation, proof of concept (PoC) development and integration into industry value chains for selected entities. DPIIT officials indicated that the scheme will enable startups to engage with real world problem statements and scale solutions with tangible outcomes.

DPIIT and Blue Star plan to explore the organisation of innovation challenges under the Bharat Startup Grand Challenge alongside targeted hackathons focused on HVAC, digital technologies and manufacturing domains. Startups will be able to participate in structured PoC programmes with selected participants considered for pilot deployment and further engagement. The partnership will also include structured mentorship programmes and periodic engagement sessions to align innovations with industry requirements.

The memorandum was signed by Deputy Secretary, DPIIT, T. L. K. Singh and Managing Director, Blue Star Limited, B Thiagarajan in the presence of senior officials from both sides. The collaboration is presented as a step towards industry driven innovation in the manufacturing sector and as a mechanism to strengthen ecosystem linkages for product startups across the country. The ministry will coordinate with Blue Star on implementation and on offering selected startups access to technical support and testing infrastructure.