Introduction

For decades, trade fairs have shown how markets grow when people, products and ideas meet. This year’s India International Trade Fair carries that tradition forward under the theme “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat”. Its 44th edition brings together more than 3,500 participants, 31 States and Union Territories, and exhibitors from 11 countries, turning Bharat Mandapam into a crossroads of cultures and commerce. Partner States such as Bihar, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, with Jharkhand as the Focus State, present not just goods, but the economic ambitions of their regions.

With government departments, PSUs, MSMEs, start-ups, international exhibitors and artisan collectives all under one roof, the fair has evolved into one of India’s strongest platforms for small producers, traditional crafts and new-age entrepreneurs.

“I’ve never seen a trade fair this big”

At one of the aisles, Eslam Kamal from Egypt watches visitors pause at his marble handicrafts with familiarity. His family has been coming for 25 years, long enough to map his business journey onto the changing face of the fair.

“There has been a steady growth in this space,” he says. “We always receive a good response, and the demand has increased.” For him, Bharat Mandapam remains “the largest trade fair he’s ever seen,” a place where the support is constant, and the visitors never stop expanding. His experience mirrors that of many international participants who return not because they must, but because India has become a reliable market in itself.

A marketplace that becomes a second home

For Ulas from Turkey, the connection goes deeper. “We’ve been coming to India for almost 24-25 years now,” he says. “Earlier we used to go to other trade fairs, but now we exhibit only in India.” He and his team spend half the year here, building relationships that transcend the fair’s duration.

“Our customers return every year,” he says with a smile. “This is what keeps us motivated.”

When heritage becomes livelihood

In another pavilion, the stall selling Kolhapuri chappals is buzzing. For Sachin Satpute, the fair is not just a market; it is a cultural space where heritage finds appreciation and buyers.

“Events like this really help us in marketing and branding,” he says. The numbers are as solid as the leather he sells: six months of income in 15 days.

 

When stock sells out before the fair ends

Some stories are about scale, told through brisk sales and empty shelves.

“This is our second time at the Trade Fair,” says Shobha from Maharashtra, who deals in chutneys, pickles, and ghee. She recalls her previous experience vividly: “We sold almost 2-3 quintals of products, and our stock got over 2-3 days before the fair ended.”

She calls the response “very good,” a re-assurance for small producers who often rely on visibility more than anything else.

For exporters, a doorway back home

Not everyone who comes here is new to business; some are simply stepping into a different market. Mohammed Fazil from Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, usually exports metal handicrafts and decorative items to Europe and America. But this time, he is at Bharat Mandapam for a new purpose: “We are looking for more exposure in the domestic market,” he says. The fair, for him, is a testing ground, a place where branding meets footfall and where new buyers may emerge from any corner of the hall.

 

 When a fair helps support artisanal dreams

Some journeys, however, are nothing short of transformation. “This is my second time at the Trade Fair, and it has been very advantageous for me,” says Ikram Hussain from Uttar Pradesh, a National Awardee. He speaks of an uncommon scale of opportunity: three months of sales in just 15 days.

“The opportunities here have helped me expand my business significantly,” he adds. His story captures how such platforms can become springboards for artisans who dream bigger than their workshops.

Connections that continue long after the gates close

From Thailand, Kim has been attending the fair for nearly 12 years. “The customers I meet here usually come back next year,” she says. She also receives wholesale orders after the event, showing that the relationships built here extend beyond the fair.

A fair where business becomes community

Walk through the fair long enough and a pattern emerges. Whether it is marble from Egypt, jewellery from Thailand, leather from Maharashtra or metalwork from Uttar Pradesh, every exhibitor speaks of growth, visibility, connection, and income that extends far beyond the 14-day event.

Trade fairs like this do more than boost sales. They create ecosystems, where artisans find recognition; exporters discover domestic markets, and small producers find customers who become loyalists.

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