IITF 2026: The Complete Guide to Dates, Tickets, Exhibiting & What to Expect

---

Quick Answer: When is IITF 2026 and what is it? The 45th India International Trade Fair (IITF) runs from Saturday November 14 to Friday November 27, 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, the exhibition and convention complex at Pragati Maidan in New Delhi. It is organized every year by the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), the government's trade promotion agency, and mixes trade and consumer audiences. November 14-18 are business days, reserved for B2B visitors, and November 19-27 are general public days. The fair is open from 10:00 AM to 7:30 PM, and members of the public must enter by 5:30 PM. Adult tickets cost 500 rupees on business days and 80 rupees on public weekdays or 150 rupees on weekends and gazetted holidays. The 2026 theme is "Vikas aur Virasat" (development and heritage). According to ITPO, the 2025 edition recorded over 18 lakh (1.8 million) visitors and over 3,500 participants.

IITF is not a specialist trade show. It is a 14-day national showcase where Indian states, central ministries, public sector companies and commodity boards take most of the halls, and private companies and foreign pavilions sell and promote to a very large public crowd. If you are a trade visitor, your real decision is which of the five business days to come. If you are an exhibitor, the questions are which route in fits you (an online booth, a state or embassy pavilion, or a foreign pavilion) and whether a fair that ITPO runs as B2B and B2C, with five business days followed by nine public days and retail sales allowed at booths, fits what you sell.

This guide covers the business and public days, ticket prices, the hall plan, what ITPO charges domestic and foreign exhibitors, the set-up and cancellation dates, and how to reach the venue. Everything comes from ITPO's IITF 2026 factsheet, terms and conditions and notices, plus the government's press releases on the 2025 edition, checked on October 5, 2026. For the structured listing, see our IITF 2026 show page.

---

1. What IITF Actually Is

ITPO, which operates under India's Ministry of Commerce and Industry, organizes IITF at its Bharat Mandapam complex every November. The 2026 edition is the 45th, and ITPO's terms of participation describe it as a business-to-business cum business-to-consumer exhibition.

The exhibitors fall into a few groups, according to ITPO's 2026 factsheet and the 2025 government releases:

• States and union territories. In 2025, 31 took part. Each year some sign up as Partner States or a Focus State for a bigger presence. In 2025 the Partner States were Bihar, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand was the Focus State. ITPO had not announced the 2026 Partner and Focus States as of October 5.
• Central ministries, public sector companies, public sector banks and commodity boards. In 2025 the award winners included the Ministry of Defence, Airports Authority of India, Tea Board India and Spice Board India.
• Foreign pavilions. In 2025, according to ITPO, the International Pavilion had eleven countries (China, Thailand, UAE, Malaysia, Sweden, Turkey, Iran, South Korea, Egypt, Lebanon and Tunisia) plus the Tibetan Chamber of Commerce.
• Private companies, in the product categories ITPO lists for its private halls: food and beverages, electronics and appliances, textiles, footwear, handicrafts, furniture, beauty products and jewelry, along with start-ups in reserved booths.

In 2025, ITPO's Excellence in Display awards for the private sector went to RDM Care (AYUR), Dairy India (Ananda), United Ekta Engineering Udyog and Mittal Electronics (Sujata). Those are examples of 2025 award winners, not a profile of all private exhibitors. The food court stays open until 9:00 PM, and ITPO runs a separate booking process for food and beverage outlets.

What is new in 2026

ITPO's 2026 factsheet sets the theme as "Vikas aur Virasat" and spreads the fair across 17 halls. It also adds a Multi Products & Experiential Zone on the first floor of Hall 14, with a 25% promotional discount on space there. The 2025 theme was "Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat."

2. Dates, Hours & the 14-Day Shape

Hours, from the factsheet: the fair runs from 10:00 AM to 7:30 PM every day. Members of the public are admitted from 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM, and exhibitors from 9:30 AM. Exhibitors and their staff must be at their booths from 30 minutes before opening until 30 minutes after closing, according to the terms. The food court runs from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM.

A note on the opening date. ITPO's factsheet, terms and booking notices all give November 14-27. ITPO's events calendar and the About text on its IITF page list the fair from November 13, the day exhibitors must finish their displays. Plan visits from November 14 and check ITPO's IITF page for the inauguration schedule.

The business days fall across a weekend. ITPO reserves them for B2B visitors and prices them accordingly: 500 rupees for an adult, against 80 rupees on a public weekday. If your goal is meetings with state pavilions, ministries or exporters rather than browsing, plan around November 14-18.

3. Tickets

ITPO's 2026 factsheet sets these entry prices, including GST:

Free entry has conditions. The factsheet's ticket table shows these visitors as free on both kinds of day, but its footnote limits the concession to the general public days. It says senior citizens and specially-abled visitors get free entry on the general public days, November 19-27, with a valid government ID that shows date of birth. Anyone accompanying them must buy a ticket. ITPO also says tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Where to buy. As of October 5, ITPO had not announced the 2026 ticket sales channels. In 2025, according to press reports of the opening, tickets were sold online through ITPO's site, at selected Delhi Metro stations and through the Delhi Metro's Sarthi app. Check ITPO's IITF page and the official Bharat Mandapam app (Android and iOS) before you go.

Business visitors and exhibitors. Exhibitor badges are paid: ITPO charges 3,000 rupees for a domestic exhibitor badge and $50 for a foreign exhibitor badge, both including GST. Partner and focus participants get extra business-visitor passes as part of their packages.

4. The Hall Plan

ITPO's tentative hall-wise profile for 2026:

Three open-air amphitheatres, near Halls 1, 2 and 5, host cultural programs organized by states and union territories. ITPO published updated layouts for Halls 8-11, 12-12A and 14 on September 24, so check the current maps on its IITF page before you plan a route.

For foreign buyers, the useful halls are the state pavilions (Halls 2-5), where state industry departments and their exporters present products by region, and the commodity boards. For sourcing specific consumer categories, Halls 11, 12, 12A and 14 hold the private booths.

5. Exhibiting at IITF

Domestic private companies book online, one booth each. Booking runs only through ITPO's portal at booking.indiatradefair.com. You create an account, complete a fair-specific pre-registration where you choose your product category, then select a booth and pay in full by card, UPI or net banking. Bookings for general and premium booths opened at 2:00 PM on September 15, 2026. Some vacant booths in Halls 8-11, 12A and 14 (ground floor) were divided into smaller ones and reopened on September 25. The terms limit each private company to one booth, and a multi-product booth can show only the two categories declared at booking.

Domestic space rates, per square meter, excluding 18% GST:

Premium-location booths started at 27,000 rupees per square meter (shell) on September 15 and stepped down to the general rate from September 21. Corner booths cost 10-20% more depending on open sides. A shell booth starts at 12 square meters and includes three chairs, a counter, a power point, five spotlights, carpet, fascia and cleaning. Bare space starts at 36 square meters and needs ITPO approval of your stand design. DPIIT-recognized Indian start-ups get a discount of 50% of the bare-space rent, but only in booths ITPO reserves for start-ups. ITPO's September 11 notice reserves 12 start-up booths of 12 square meters each in Halls 11, 12A and 14 (ground floor). The terms cap a discounted start-up booth at 18 square meters, and start-ups pay the full rent at booking and receive the discount at final invoicing after the fair.

Foreign participants. Foreign companies and governments book offline with ITPO, directly or through an embassy or group pavilion. The factsheet sets these rates, in US dollars per square meter, excluding GST:

Countries also get complimentary promotional space: 24 square meters for countries with a free trade agreement with India and 12 square meters for other countries. That space is for promotion only, not commercial sales, unless the country books additional space on top. Group participation backed by an embassy or a government trade body gets bulk discounts of 30% to 40%, depending on area. The extra quick-bird (September 15) and early-bird (September 30) payment discounts have now passed. Partner Country packages cost $50,000 plus GST, with a 200 square meter minimum, and Focus Country packages cost $30,000 plus GST, with 100 square meters. Each comes with 50% off space rent, branding and a place on the dais at the inaugural and award ceremonies.

Selling at the fair. Retail sales from the booth are allowed, but the terms set conditions. You must issue a tax invoice for every sale, display printed prices and register for GST before selling. Companies registered outside Delhi, including foreign ones, need temporary GST registration in Delhi as a casual or non-resident taxable person.

Dates that matter now:

• October 14 - last day to cancel a booth for a 25% refund. From October 15 the refund is zero, even if ITPO re-lets the booth.
• November 4, 6:00 PM - last date to convert a shell booth to bare space.
• November 5 and 7 - bare-space handover, by hall (ITPO notice of September 23).
• November 12, 10:00 AM - shell booths handed over. Bare-space construction must be finished by 10:00 PM the same day.
• November 13, 6:00 PM - displays complete; halls close to exhibitors at 7:00 PM.

Questions to settle before you commit

• Which hall and product category will your booth sit in, and what can ITPO tell you about the trade and public visitors that hall drew in 2025?
• Is there still a booth in your category on the portal, and does the layout show a corner or premium position?
• If you are overseas, does your embassy or trade promotion body run a pavilion, and what does it charge on top of ITPO's discounted rate?
• Do you plan to sell at the booth? If so, have you sorted temporary GST registration in Delhi and an invoice format?
• How many staff badges and passes will you need, and what will 14 days of staffing from 9:30 AM to 8:00 PM cost?
• Does your timetable allow for the build-up on November 12-13 and breakdown overnight on November 27?

6. Getting There

Venue: Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, Mathura Road, New Delhi 110001. ITPO's visitor gates for IITF are Gates 3 and 4 on Bhairon Road and Gates 6 and 10 on Mathura Road. Cargo uses Gates 1, 5A and 5B on Bhairon Road.

Metro. ITPO's FAQ says the complex is reached by the Delhi Metro Blue Line. ITPO also cites underground parking for more than 5,000 vehicles at Bharat Mandapam. In 2025, press reports of the opening carried a traffic advisory for Mathura Road, Bhairon Marg and the Ring Road, so allow extra time if you come by car.

Airport and visas. Delhi's airport is a designated entry point for e-Visa holders, according to India's official e-Visa portal (indianvisaonline.gov.in). The portal offers e-Business visa categories, and the right one depends on your nationality and what you will do at the fair, so check eligibility and the documents required there. The portal sets a minimum of four days between applying and arrival; that is a lower limit, not a processing promise. If you are exhibiting in a government pavilion, ask your embassy or the nearest Indian mission which visa and letter you need.

Hotels. ITPO lists nearby hotels on its Visitor Experience pages.

7. Planning Notes and Clashes

Key dates:

• October 14 - last day for a 25% booth cancellation refund.
• November 12-13 - exhibitor build-up.
• November 14 - fair opens; business days run to November 18.
• November 19 - public days begin.
• November 27 - final day and ITPO's award ceremony.

Other shows in Delhi NCR the same month. CPHI & PMEC India 2026 is split in 2026: CPHI India runs November 23-25 at Yashobhoomi (IICC) in Dwarka, and PMEC India runs November 24-26 at India Expo Mart in Greater Noida, according to the organizer's FAQ. Back at Bharat Mandapam, IFSEC India follows on December 3-5. For the wider picture, our November 2026 trade show calendar lists the month's major events worldwide.

A note on the numbers. "Over 18 lakh visitors" and "over 3,500 participants" are ITPO's own 2025 figures, given at the opening and closing ceremonies; ITPO did not publish an audited breakdown. The 2026 hall profile is marked tentative by ITPO and may change.

---

FAQs

When is IITF 2026? The 45th India International Trade Fair runs from Saturday November 14 to Friday November 27, 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. November 14-18 are business days and November 19-27 are general public days.

What are the IITF 2026 timings? The fair runs from 10:00 AM to 7:30 PM every day. Members of the public must enter between 10:00 AM and 5:30 PM, according to ITPO's factsheet. The food court stays open until 9:00 PM.

How much is an IITF 2026 ticket? On business days (November 14-18) adult tickets cost 500 rupees and child tickets 200 rupees. On public days (November 19-27) adults pay 80 rupees on weekdays and 150 rupees on weekends and gazetted holidays; children pay 40 or 60 rupees. Prices include GST.

Is entry free for senior citizens? Yes, on general public days. ITPO's factsheet says senior citizens and specially-abled visitors get free entry from November 19 to 27 with a valid government ID showing date of birth. People accompanying them need tickets.

Can the general public visit on business days? ITPO describes November 14-18 as exclusively for B2B. Business-day tickets are priced at 500 rupees for adults, and a season ticket for all five business days costs 1,800 rupees.

What is the theme of IITF 2026? ITPO has set the 2026 theme as "Vikas aur Virasat" (development and heritage). The 2025 theme was "Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat."

How big was IITF 2025? According to ITPO, the 44th IITF in 2025 recorded over 18 lakh (1.8 million) visitors and had over 3,500 participants, including 31 states and union territories and eleven countries in the International Pavilion.

How do I book a stall at IITF 2026? Indian private companies book through ITPO's online portal at booking.indiatradefair.com after pre-registering and choosing a product category; each company can book one booth. Foreign companies book offline with ITPO, directly or through an embassy or group pavilion. Bare space in a ground-floor AC hall costs 17,100 rupees or $475 per square meter, excluding GST.

Can exhibitors sell products at IITF? Yes. ITPO's terms allow retail sales if exhibitors issue a tax invoice for every sale, display printed prices and register for GST, including temporary registration in Delhi for companies registered elsewhere.

How do I get to IITF at Bharat Mandapam? Bharat Mandapam is on Mathura Road at Pragati Maidan in central New Delhi, reached by the Delhi Metro Blue Line. Visitor gates for IITF are Gates 3 and 4 on Bhairon Road and Gates 6 and 10 on Mathura Road.