The three-day International Dialogue 2026, billed as a 'Tech Mahakumbh', will pull in roughly 1,200 policymakers, scientists and startup founders to Lucknow starting October 23.
Lucknow is gearing up for a rather unusual guest list next month. Entrepreneurs, technology experts and company representatives from the US, UK, Germany and other countries will land in the city for what organisers are calling the International Dialogue 2026, a three-day event running October 23 to 25 at the Uttar Pradesh State Institute of Forensic Science, or UPSIFS.
The scale is meant to be big. Around 1,200 people are expected, spanning policymakers, senior officials, industrialists, scientists, researchers, startup founders, judicial and police officers, teachers and students, according to the Free Press Journal. The talk on stage will range across artificial intelligence, quantum technology, cyber forensics, data security and legal compliance.
Three days, three different focuses
Day one, October 23, is pitched as Talent and Industry Engagement, built around connecting students and young professionals directly with companies through internships, placements and what the institute is calling future-ready skills sessions. Technology demonstrations and a startup platform are also planned for that day.
October 24 is the main event, a summit day with representatives from central and state governments alongside industry leaders. Expect a Policy-Industry Roundtable, a Technology Showcase, an Investment Dialogue and a Knowledge Exchange track, with organisers hoping some of these conversations turn into actual MoUs and joint research projects.
Dr G.K. Goswami, founder director of UPSIFS, framed the whole exercise as an attempt to get policy, industry and education sitting at the same table. He said the state's youth are being trained in new technologies under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's direction, and that the goal is chasing the Viksit Bharat vision through innovation rather than just credentials. His pitch, roughly: a degree alone isn't the point anymore, understanding how industry actually uses this stuff is.
Where forensics fits in
The institute's own specialty gets a showcase too. UPSIFS runs what it calls a 'Law with Labs' model, stitching legal education to scientific evidence and newer technology. Its labs already cover AI, robotics, drones, 3-D printing, cyber forensics and forensic DNA work, and the plan is to walk delegates through how all of that ties back to courtroom-ready evidence and compliance.
Experts are expected to speak on forensic DNA, cyber forensics and digital evidence alongside the more headline-grabbing AI and quantum sessions, plus a track on data protection, privacy, audit and governance for anyone building products that touch personal data.
Companies wanting in as partners can buy their way onto the roster. UPSIFS has set three tiers, Silver at Rs 5 lakh and up, Gold at Rs 8 lakh, Platinum at Rs 12 lakh, with sponsors getting access to talent development, tech demos, research tie-ups and policy conversations depending on the level.
Whether the actual guest list from Washington, London and Berlin matches the ambition of the announcement is something we'll only know closer to October 23. UPSIFS says formal confirmations from participating governments and companies are still being finalised.
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