India needs more world-class exhibition infrastructure, say experts on sidelines of Singapore industry forum

Singapore: India needs more world-class exhibition and logistics infrastructure despite major investments over the past decade, industry experts said here on Wednesday.

They said facilities such as Mumbai's Jio World Convention Centre and New Delhi's Bharat Mandapam have strengthened the country's ability to host global events, but more venues are needed in other major cities and emerging business hubs.

The experts, who spoke at the sidelines of an industry event in Singapore, argued that partnerships between Indian companies and international exhibition organisers would help attract more overseas exhibitors and visitors while supporting exports in line with the government's "Make in India" initiative.


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Their comments came as India's exhibition industry seeks to rebuild international participation after the Covid-19 pandemic, with countries such as China and Singapore remaining major destinations for international trade fairs.

"India has developed impressive infrastructure for the exhibition sector over the past 10 years," said Ravinder Sethi, Executive Chairman of the R.E. Rogers India Pvt Ltd, a leading exhibition and logistics company.

"But going forward, more is needed, especially the development of in-country facilities with participation of international expertise and expo centres for showcasing indigenous products and services to international trade visitors," said Sethi, who arrived in Singapore to attend the Singapore MICE Forum 2026 last week.

MICE refers to Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions - a specialised sector of business tourism and hospitality focused on planning, booking and hosting large-scale corporate group events and professional gatherings.

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"We need to do more for the exhibition industry, though, no doubt, we have built world-class facilities such as (the) Jio Centre in Mumbai and redeveloped Pragati Maidan [in New Delhi]," added Sethi, who has worked across Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

As an adviser, Sethi said he had recommended to Reliance Group's executives to study exhibition and convention centres in Singapore, Malaysia, and other international cities while planning the Jio World Convention Centre, which eventually turned out to be a hub for hosting global and large-scale domestic industry events.

Sethi cited the growing Indian economy and the ever-increasing presence of multinational corporations, pointing out that demand for world-class facilities is coming from global companies with strong bases in India.

These MNCs are calling for world-class facilities for showcasing their products and services, especially under the government-initiated "Make in India" and "Make for the World".

Growing domestic demand for indigenous products and services has also seen a good number of exhibitions being hosted in Tier-II cities in recent years, according to Sethi.

Indian manufacturers and service creators have formed a strategic focus on developing trade with global markets while reaching out through the Tier-II cities to digital-savvy rural consumers connected through mobile networks to the latest models from around the world.

"The construction of infrastructure such as convention and exhibition centres is often undertaken by governments as they require huge investments," said Edward Liu, managing director of Conference & Exhibition Management Services, who is widely known as the "Exhibition Man" in the global MICE industry.

"(But) There are exceptions like the Reliance Group's Jio World Centre in Mumbai and the Suntec City in Singapore, which was established and promoted by Hong Kong-based tycoons in phases between 1995 and 1997 at a cost of USD 2.3 billion," he said.

Both Sethi and Liu believe that India's private sector should lead collaborations with international expo organisers to build the next phase of world-class exhibition centres in major metro cities and Tier-II cities to promote the country's export-oriented products and services.

Mega events in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangdong are attracting international trade visitors in ever-growing numbers to view China-made products and services as well as interact with the manufacturing companies, said Liu.

Sethi and Liu are confident that collaborations or joint ventures between the Indian private sector and foreign exhibition organisers are an immediate need in India to further strengthen the country's exhibition infrastructure and management.

"No doubt we have built a strong infrastructure for the exhibition industry which is today able to host events around the year," said Sethi, pointing out that in the past mega trade events were only held during winters.

Many MNCs have established themselves in the Indian market and would like to see trade visitors closer to their manufacturing facilities. There is an advantage in playing host within the country for boosting exports and engaging global clients, they said.

Sethi estimates that an exhibition in India draws a large number of international visitors for a first-hand look at Indian products and services.

"Pre-Covid, we had nearly 80 per cent of the global delegates and participants at events in India. But post-Covid we are now in the process of re-building international audiences of our events, despite the economic headwinds," he pointed out.

Liu also believes the Indian exhibition industry has "bright prospects" as the country's private sector partnerships with international operators would lead to teams managing events in global markets.

Such ventures would also yield good returns on investment, especially from large-scale global participants.

Global traders are giving priority to visiting exhibitions in China and India as the two Asian countries have emerged as leading sources of products and services, according to Liu. He pointed out that the current exhibition landscape reflects the "Asianisation of the MICE industry" in tandem with the "Asian century".