The 15th edition of the IEIA Open Seminar & Exhibition Services Expo 2026 commenced at the India Expo Centre & Mart, bringing together stakeholders from across the exhibitions and events ecosystem. This year’s edition holds special significance as Indian Exhibition Industry Association (IEIA) celebrates 20 years of strengthening and unifying the Indian exhibitions industry.
Over the last two decades, IEIA has grown from a collective vision into a thriving industry body with over 430 members and 11 active sub-committees, reflecting the rapid evolution of India’s exhibition sector.
Jagdish Patankar welcomed the fraternity during his opening remarks. During his presidential address, Sooraj Dhawan reflected on the industry’s transformation, stating that “yesterday is very different from today,” while highlighting the growth and expanding influence of the association.
Dr. Rakesh Kumar shared that both IEIA and India Expo Centre & Mart came into existence together in 2006 and have grown side by side over the years.
A key highlight of the inauguration ceremony was the felicitation of the six founding members of IEIA, honouring the pioneers who envisioned a unified voice for the Indian exhibition industry. As Ravinder Sethi remarked, that collective vision has now evolved into a national industry movement.
Addressing the gathering, Shri Suman Billa spoke about the strategic importance of exhibitions in driving India’s MICE economy. He highlighted that exhibitions are key drivers of business tourism and will play a crucial role in helping India increase tourism’s contribution to GDP from 5% to 10% in the coming years. He also emphasised the importance of India’s rapidly expanding infrastructure ecosystem in supporting economic growth and global events.
Shri Jawed Ashraf delivered the keynote address, speaking about the enduring value of face-to-face engagement in an increasingly digital world. He highlighted how geopolitical conflicts continue to influence global business dynamics while stressing that physical exhibitions remain irreplaceable platforms for commerce, trust, and collaboration.
The closing remarks were presented by Ubaid Ahmad, who reflected on the success of the current edition.
This year’s seminar agenda showcases the evolving nature of the industry, with discussions centred around B2B marketing, AI and digitalisation, sustainability, workplace culture, visitor loyalty, event F&B experiences, and the launch of new-age trade shows.
As the event reinforced, when the right dots meet, the industry moves forward together.
