RX India has announced the speaker lineup for the conference at the 20th edition of PackPlus 2026, scheduled from 20 to 22 August 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
The conference will take place on 20 August under the theme ‘Packaging as the Engine of Growth for the Indian Economy’, bringing together packaging experts, brand leaders, sustainability specialists and technology innovators.
The announcement comes as India’s packaging sector continues to expand. The market was valued at US$101.12 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach US$169.73 billion by 2030, representing a compound annual growth rate of 10.73 per cent.
The conference will begin with an inauguration and lamp-lighting ceremony, followed by a keynote from Dr. Tanweer Alam, Additional Director & Regional Officer, Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP).
The first panel, “Packaging Standards — Compliance Goes from Obligation to Differentiator”, will examine Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) norms, packaging standardisation, global competitiveness, foreign direct investment and the growing use of recycled fibre in paper- and pulp-based packaging.
The session will be moderated by Sagar Kurade, Chairman and Managing Director, Suman Food Consultants, with Prof. Kirtiraj K. Gaikwad, Head of the Department of Paper Technology, IIT Roorkee, and Udyan Kohli, Sr. Manager – SCM and Key Account Sales, Farmton Foods.
The conference will then focus on flexible packaging through a session titled “Pushing the Physical Barriers of Packaging — Sustainable and Flexible Packaging is the Future”.
The discussion will explore AI integration, smart packaging, material innovation and the challenge of reducing material usage without compromising safety, protection or print quality.
The panel will be moderated by Dr. Madhab Chakraborty, Joint Director and Regional Head at IIP (Retd.) and a global packaging consultant. Panellists include Juhi Gupta (Tetra Pak), Rohit Thakral (Target Integration Ltd.), Faizur Rahman (Colorbar Cosmetics), Nayandeep Banerjee (Pernod Ricard), Akshay Seth (Toyo Ink India) and Priyanka Rathi (Holostik).
Following lunch, the discussion will turn to sustainable alternatives to plastics with “Thinking Beyond the Bin — Sustainable Packaging Replacing Plastics for Good?”
The session will examine greenwashing, returnable and reduced-material designs, q-commerce-led reuse models and the move away from single-use plastics.
Shailendra Singh, Founder and CEO of SustainMantra, will moderate the session, joined by Nethra Ballal (CII – Indian Green Building Council), Dr. Abhijeet Makhijani (Lsquare Eco-Products / Honeycore), Gaurav Mittal (Intertape Polymer Group, USA), Ankit Gupta (NaturTrust) and Seema Bansal, Co-Founder, DGCpac.com.
The conference will conclude with a talk show titled “A Futuristic Package — AI-Embedded Packaging Design”, exploring how artificial intelligence is transforming packaging.
The discussion will cover RFID- and QR-enabled traceability and authentication, defect detection, shelf-life prediction, personalised consumer engagement and end-to-end process optimisation.
Pratik Bhansali, CEO of Bimal Corporation, will host the session with Ayan Chattopadhyay (Nestlé R&D Centre India), Ankit Gupta (Holostik Group) and Mahima Gemini (House of Sarkar).
Umang Gupta, Country Head, RX India, said, “Packaging today is an integral part of every product used by the Indian consumer and across industrial sectors such as manufacturing, FMCG, agriculture and pharmaceuticals. The changing policy framework, guidelines and packaging technology are rapidly shaping the economics of the sector. PackPlus has been the industry’s flagship event, where policymakers, industry leaders and innovators come together to shape industry standards, sustainability and the future of India’s packaging ecosystem. This year’s PackPlus conference and conclave integrates these emerging industry trends with high-value sourcing needs, enabling participants to modernise and streamline their packaging infrastructure and drive growth for their businesses.”
Shradha Malik, Event Director, PackPlus, said, “For its 20th edition, PackPlus returns with a sharper, more curated experience for the entire packaging value chain. The conference programme moves from policy and standards to the shop-floor realities of flexible, sustainable and AI-enabled packaging, while the exhibition floor is designed around real sourcing outcomes. Bringing together 250-plus exhibitors and 15,000-plus professionals under one roof, PackPlus 2026 is built to help visitors discover the latest technology, forge partnerships and leave with practical solutions they can put to work in their businesses.”
The conference forms part of the wider PackPlus 2026 exhibition, which will run from 20 to 22 August at Bharat Mandapam.
The event is expected to bring together 250+ exhibitors and 15,000+ industry professionals from sectors including FMCG, e-commerce, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, textiles, logistics and modern retail.
The exhibition will also feature 500+ live machinery demonstrations and showcase packaging, printing, converting and supply chain solutions from Indian and international suppliers.
With its 20th edition, PackPlus aims to provide the packaging industry with a platform to explore new technologies, build partnerships and address the changing demands of India’s growing packaging ecosystem.
