The organisation is expanding India’s participation in overseas exhibitions and looking to turn trade fairs into sourcing platforms for domestic businesses, leveraging opportunities under free trade agreements
The India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) is stepping up India’s participation in international trade exhibitions and expanding its efforts to connect domestic manufacturers and exporters with overseas buyers. The organisation is targeting participation from 40–50 countries in its Indian trade fairs over time, while placing greater emphasis on technology, electronics, innovation and start-ups in its overseas exhibition strategy.
Jawed Ashraf, Chairman, ITPO, told BW Businessworld that the organisation was increasing the frequency of India’s participation in international exhibitions while identifying new platforms across sectors. The strategy includes developing integrated India pavilions, securing branding and advertising spaces at overseas events, and allowing Indian businesses more time for networking and engagement with potential buyers.
A key part of the strategy is to use trade fairs as sourcing platforms for Indian businesses, particularly micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), to access international markets. Ashraf said India’s expanding network of free trade agreements (FTAs) presented opportunities for exporters, and ITPO was working to help domestic industries utilise the market access created through these agreements.
India’s trade agreements with the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, the United Arab Emirates, Mauritius, Oman and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) are among the markets Ashraf said earlier this week. He also indicated that the India-European Union trade agreement was expected to be signed soon, while India was hopeful of concluding an agreement with Canada within 2026.
Trade Fairs As Export And Market Access Channels
ITPO is looking to move beyond the conventional model of organising exhibitions towards a broader trade promotion role, with activities spanning market intelligence, training, capacity building and market-entry support for Indian exporters.
Ashraf said trade fairs remained particularly important for small and medium enterprises seeking business opportunities beyond their existing markets. Unlike larger companies, smaller businesses may not have the resources or networks to independently approach international buyers, making exhibitions an important channel for establishing commercial relationships.
“Even today for small and medium enterprises, trade fairs is the biggest platform for generating business. Nobody responds to cold calls unless you’re a really big company,” Ashraf said.
For overseas exhibitions, ITPO is increasingly focusing on integrated India pavilions, with greater attention to branding, positioning and advance planning. The organisation is also securing branding and advertising spaces at international events to improve the visibility of Indian businesses and support networking and communication activities alongside product displays.
Ashraf said ITPO was placing greater emphasis on exhibitions covering technology, electronics, innovation and start-ups, sectors that are increasingly important in attracting international investment and driving economic growth. The organisation is also seeking participation in new exhibitions rather than limiting India’s presence to established trade fair platforms.
The approach includes collaboration with Indian and international exhibition organisers, export promotion councils (EPCs), trade bodies and relevant government ministries. ITPO is also examining gaps in India’s domestic exhibition calendar, particularly sectors and product categories that do not have dedicated trade fair platforms.
International Participation Faces Space Constraints
ITPO’s international expansion plans also extend to exhibitions hosted in India. The organisation is targeting participation from 40–50 countries in its domestic trade fairs over time, although limited exhibition capacity at Bharat Mandapam remains a constraint.
Ashraf acknowledged a decline in international participants at the current edition of the India International Trade Fair (IITF). “We have a target of at some point reaching 40-50 countries. But we have a space constraint here at the moment. We have completely exhausted our 105,000 square meters. We are building phase 2 of Bharat Mandapam because we don’t want to cut down on the participation of all the states, all the central governments and all the MSMEs which are present here,” Ashraf said.
The organisation does not want to reduce the participation of Indian states, central government departments and MSMEs to accommodate more overseas exhibitors. The capacity constraint is therefore an important consideration in its longer-term international participation target.
On the relatively limited participation from European and South Korean companies, Ashraf said businesses from these markets generally preferred specialised industry exhibitions. However, he said IITF’s reported footfall of around 1.8 million visitors over two weeks was generating interest among overseas participants because it offered access to both trade visitors and Indian consumers.
The 45th edition of IITF, scheduled from 14 to 27 November at Bharat Mandapam, will feature around 3,500 exhibitors, predominantly from the MSME sector, alongside participants from 31 states and Union Territories, 51 central government departments, ministries, public sector organisations and banks, and 10 countries.
For ITPO, the larger challenge is to make trade fairs more effective channels for international business development. With overseas exhibition participation, domestic trade platforms and exporter support forming part of the same strategy, the organisation is looking to strengthen the connection between Indian businesses and global markets, particularly as new trade agreements create additional avenues for exports.
