Greater Noida, Oct 18 (TNS): The IHGF Delhi Fair Autumn 2026 closed on a high on Saturday, with the five-day handicraft trade fair generating business enquiries worth Rs 3,600 crore, the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) said. More than 7,300 buyers, buying representatives and domestic volume buyers from 105 countries visited the 62nd edition of the fair, held at the India Expo Centre & Mart from October 13 to 17.
The fair — among the world’s largest business-to-business sourcing events for home, lifestyle, fashion, furnishing, furniture and interior products — brought together Indian manufacturers and exporters with wholesale buyers, retailers and sourcing professionals from across the globe. According to EPCH, the Rs 3,600 crore enquiry figure reflects serious buying intent rather than casual footfall, with importers placing the fair firmly in their annual sourcing calendars.
“Sourcing patterns indicate that India accounts for a significant share of the product portfolios of several visiting buyers,” said Rakesh Kumar, Director General in the role of Chief Mentor at EPCH and Chairman of the India Exposition Mart Ltd. “A prominent trend observed is supply chain diversification. Several wholesalers and retailers indicated a strategic shift toward increasing procurement from India, with some already sourcing between 40% and 80% of their total imports from Indian manufacturers.”
Global buyers back the IHGF Delhi Fair
The buyer roll-call at the IHGF Delhi Fair underlined the event’s international pull. According to Rajesh Rawat, Executive Director of EPCH, buyers visited from the US, UK, France, Germany, Australia, the Netherlands, Spain, Japan, China, South Africa and many more countries, with representation from major retail brands and sourcing groups.
“Brands like Group 2 Lutz, Austria; A-Z GIS Inc, Canada; Maisons Du Monde, France; Massivmoebel24Gmbh, Germany; Nitori, Japan; Landmark Group and Kahraman of the UAE; Fableroom and Designed By Woulfe of the UK; and Ross Stores, TJX Companies and VCNY Home of the USA had their sourcing representations at the fair,” Rawat said, adding that India’s handicraft exports stood at $3.75 billion in 2025-26.
The presence of such heavyweight buyers at the IHGF Delhi Fair matters because it signals where global retail sourcing is headed. As supply chains diversify away from single-country dependence, India’s artisanal and small-batch manufacturing base — from Moradabad’s metal craft to Jaipur’s textiles and Jodhpur’s furniture — is finding itself in the middle of a structural sourcing shift.
What drove Rs 3,600 crore at the IHGF Delhi Fair
Several factors combined to deliver the strong enquiry numbers. The five-day format of the IHGF Delhi Fair gave buyers time to move beyond catalogues and have direct conversations with manufacturers about materials, finishes, pricing and delivery timelines — the kind of practical exchange that turns interest into orders. Organisers also ran knowledge sessions and design awards alongside the commercial floor, keeping the focus on product innovation and market trends.
State participation added colour and commerce. Odisha’s pavilion, showcasing the state’s handlooms and handicrafts, drew steady buyer and visitor traffic, with officials saying the platform helped connect artisans and weavers with designers and business organisations that could open up new export markets.
The timing helped too. With the global festive retail season approaching, buyers at the IHGF Delhi Fair were placing enquiries for ranges that will land on shelves in 2027, and Indian exporters reported strong interest across home furnishings, lighting, tableware, gifts and fashion accessories — categories where India competes on design depth and hand-crafted differentiation rather than on price alone.
IHGF Delhi Fair signals a strong export season ahead
For India’s handicraft exporters, the Rs 3,600 crore enquiry book is more than a headline number — it is a pipeline for the coming quarters. The fair’s organisers said exhibitors reported new buyer additions to their client lists and encouraging follow-up interest, suggesting that the enquiries will convert into firm orders in the months ahead.
With supply-chain diversification now a stated strategy for several large global retailers, and India accounting for up to four-fifths of the import portfolios of some visiting buyers, the IHGF Delhi Fair has reinforced its position as the country’s flagship platform for handicraft exports. The next test will be conversion: turning Rs 3,600 crore of enquiries into shipped orders, sustained relationships and a stronger 2026-27 export performance.