Trade fair 2017: Showcasing Startup India

The annual flagship event of India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) will be inaugurated by the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind with Suresh Prabhu, the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Government of India presiding over the inaugural function.

The programme will also be graced by the presence of Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, CR Choudhary, Urban Development Minister, Jharkhand, CP Singh, Ambassador, Kyrgyz Republic, Samargiul Adamkulova and Ambassador, Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Ton Sinh Thanh along with LC Goyal, Chairman-cum-Managing Director, ITPO.

Extending India's global appeal for investment in diverse sectors, the fair also manifests a multi-pronged strategy of Indian economy which is driven by 'Make in India' initiative and reforms to transform trade and industry into an engine of socio-economic growth. These programmes will be demonstrated prominently in the display profile of the pavilions of the states and Union territories.

The sale of tickets for the India International Trade Fair has been capped at around 60,000 per day and these will not be sold at Pragati Maidan gates and the Pragati Maidan Metro Station, the organiser ITPO said.

The tickets for general days – November 18-27 – will be available four days in advance at other metro stations in Delhi-NCR. The online sale of tickets for all days – business as well as general – commenced on Friday through the official online portal of India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO).

For the first time, the initial four days of the fair will be reserved for the business visitors instead of five days.

The fair will be open to all the visitors from November 18. On weekdays, the ticket will be priced at Rs 60 for adults and Rs 40 for children. Whereas on weekends the ticket for adults will be priced at Rs 120 and for children at Rs 60. The fair will open from 9:30 am to 7:30 pm, every day.

There will be free entry for senior citizens (60 years & above) and 'divyang' (handicapped) persons on presentation of valid age/physical handicapped document with photo thereon from all gates from November 18 to 27. Attendant to senior citizens and 'divyang' have to purchase the ticket as per the rate applicable on that particular day. There is no free entry for students etc.

This year, as many as 3000 participants are taking part in the IITF. Socialist Republic of Vietnam is the 'partner country' and Kyrgyz Republic is the 'focus country' for the 2017 IITF; Jharkhand will be there as the partner state for the fair. Over 222 from 21 countries are taking part in the fair, these include Afghanistan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, South Korea, Myanmar, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkey, Kyrgyz Republic, Netherlands, UAE, UK and Vietnam.

This participation assumes greater significance this time when the premier exhibition complex of India, Pragati Maidan is transforming into a world-class International Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre (IECC). Fulfilling the long overdue aspirations of global and Indian trade fraternity, IECC is being developed in line with the Prime Minister's vision of 'New India'. Aiming to provide new horizons to the events such as IITF, it promises to attract mega events of G2G, G2B, and B2B formats with its sheer magnificence and conduciveness. This year the trade fair will be organized in 50% of the area due to the redevelopment of ITPO, Pragati Maidan premises.

Apart from featuring the state–of–the-art technologies, products, services and innovations along with CSR initiatives, the fair showcases the immense variety and kaleidoscopic repertoire of India's handicrafts and handlooms with their multifarious hues, designs, motifs and techniques with diversity in both medium and method. The fair provides a reliable and tested platform to SMEs exporters, entrepreneurs and investors.

IITF 2017 is a collective effort of the 'Team ITPO' and its associates including different service agencies.