The 40th edition of AAHAR 2026, one of the world’s premier B2B trade platforms for the food and hospitality industry, will be inaugurated by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Shri Piyush Goyal on March 10 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. Shri Chirag Paswan, Union Minister of Food Processing Industries, will also grace the occasion.
The five-day international exhibition will be held from March 10 to March 14, 2026, bringing together food producers, exporters, hospitality businesses, technology providers, industry associations and global buyers on a single platform to explore partnerships and business opportunities.
Organised by the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, in association with the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), AAHAR has evolved over four decades into one of Asia’s most influential trade exhibitions for the food processing and hospitality sectors.
Addressing the curtain raiser, Shri Jawed Ashraf, Chairman, ITPO, said, “The food and hospitality sector is among the fastest-growing sectors in India, driven by favourable demographics, rising incomes, urbanisation, evolving lifestyles, and increasing leisure and business travel. At the centre of this growth is India’s food processing industry.
India is already a major exporter of agricultural products, with value-added food products, equipment and accessories emerging as key growth areas. India’s new Free Trade Agreements are expected to further expand export opportunities, benefiting farmers and the MSME sector.
AAHAR brings together the entire food and hospitality ecosystem — from production to services — on a single platform and connects it with global markets. International participation continues to grow, with Italy participating as the Partner Country for the first time in this edition.”
AAHAR 2026 is expected to witness extensive domestic and international participation, setting new benchmarks in scale and industry engagement. The exhibition will feature more than 1,800 exhibitors, including 155 international participants from 17 countries, and is expected to attract over one lakh business visitors during the five-day event.
Covering a gross exhibition area of more than 1,15,000 square metres, the event has received strong participation from leading food, beverage and hospitality brands from India and abroad. Italy will participate as the Partner Country, while several countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile and Thailand will set up country pavilions. Other participating countries include Belgium, China, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and Vietnam.
The exhibition will showcase innovations across key segments such as food products and beverages, food processing and value addition, packaging technology, hospitality technology and infrastructure, food-grade packaging solutions, cold chain and refrigeration technologies, and export promotion and global trade linkages.
AAHAR 2026 will also host several curated industry platforms including the APEDA Pavilion, MoFPI Pavilion, Foreign Participation Pavilion, ICMA Pavilion and FIFI Pavilion. In addition, industry events such as Hospitality Challenge and Culinary Art India 2026 will be organised as part of the programme.
The exhibition has received support from multiple industry associations including the All India Food Processors Association (AIFPA), Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Association of Resource Companies for the Hospitality Industry of India (ARCHII), Federation of All India Caterers (FAIC), Food & Hospitality Support Association of India (FHSAI), Forum of Indian Food Importers (FIFI), Food Industries Welfare Association (FIWA), and the Hotel & Restaurant Equipment Manufacturers Association of India (HOTREMAI).
Several ancillary activities, including seminars, culinary competitions and industry interactions, will also take place alongside the exhibition to promote knowledge exchange and collaboration within the sector.
During the curtain raiser, ITPO also announced the launch of the AAHAR 2026 Official Mobile App, aimed at enhancing exhibitor and visitor engagement during the event. The mobile application will allow participants to access a digital exhibitor directory, navigate interactive floor plans, schedule B2B meetings, use smart search filters and receive real-time notifications, enabling more efficient networking and business interactions.
Entry to the exhibition will be facilitated through online registration for business visitors. Access will be available through Gate 3 and Gate 4 (Bhairon Road), Gate 6 and Gate 10 (Mathura Road), while Gate 1 and Gate 5 will be designated for cargo movement.
The exhibition will remain open from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM for business visitors and from 9:30 AM to 7:30 PM for exhibitors. Further details about registration and visitor information are available on the official ITPO websites.
Over the past four decades, AAHAR has played a significant role in promoting India’s food processing sector, strengthening the hospitality industry, supporting MSMEs and facilitating global trade partnerships, emerging as one of Asia’s most influential platforms for the food and hospitality ecosystem.
