The Hon’ble Union Commerce & Industry Minister Shri Piyush Goyal will inaugurate the 40th edition of AAHAR 2026, one of the world’s premier B2B trade platforms for the food and hospitality industry, on March 10 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.

The five-day international exhibition will be held from March 10 to 14, 2026, bringing together food producers, exporters, hospitality businesses, technology providers, industry associations and global buyers on a single platform to explore new partnerships and business opportunities.

Organised by ITPO under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry in association with the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, AAHAR has, over the past four decades, evolved into one of the most influential trade exhibitions for the food processing and hospitality ecosystem in Asia.

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,” he added.

The exhibition is expected to witness extensive domestic and international participation, setting new benchmarks in terms of scale and industry engagement. AAHAR 2026 will feature over 1,800 exhibitors, including 155 international participants from 17 countries, and is expected to attract more than one lakh business visitors during the five-day event.

Covering a gross exhibition area of over 1,15,000 square metres, the exhibition has received a strong response from leading food, beverage and hospitality brands from India and abroad. Apart from Italy as the Partner Country, several countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile and Thailand will set up country pavilions, while other countries such as Belgium, China, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, United Kingdom and Vietnam will also participate individually.

The exhibition will showcase innovations across key sectors including food products and beverages, food processing and value addition, food processing and packaging technology, hospitality technology and infrastructure, food-grade packaging solutions, cold chain and refrigeration technologies, and export promotion and global trade linkages.

Italy will feature as the Partner Country for AAHAR 2026, highlighting growing India–EU collaboration in food processing, gourmet foods and hospitality technologies, and opening new avenues for international partnerships and trade engagement.

AAHAR 2026 will also feature several curated industry pavilions and platforms including the APEDA Pavilion, MoFPI Pavilion, Foreign Participation Pavilion, ICMA Pavilion and FIFI Pavilion, along with industry events such as Hospitality Challenge and Culinary Art India 2026.

The exhibition has received active support from several industry associations including 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 Hotel & Restaurant Equipment Manufacturers Association of India (HOTREMAI) & KREMAG

Ancillary activities such as seminars, culinary competitions and industry interactions will also be organised on the sidelines of the exhibition to promote knowledge exchange and industry collaboration.

During the curtain raiser, ITPO also announced the launch of the AAHAR 2026 Official Mobile App, designed to enhance visitor engagement and facilitate business networking 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 exhibitors and visitors to connect more efficiently.

Entry to the exhibition will be facilitated through online registration for business visitors, with access through Gate 3 and Gate 4 (Bhairon Road), Gate 6 and Gate 10 (Mathura Road), and Gate 1 and Gate 5 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 the exhibition, registration and visitor information are available on the official websites www.itpo.gov.in and www.itpo.gov.in/aahar-2026-delhi

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.