The Federation of Indian Publishers (FIP), the national representative body of the Indian publishing industry and India's sole member of the International Publishers Association (IPA), is proud to announce one of the largest and most distinguished Indian delegations ever assembled for an International Publishers Congress. The delegation will participate in the 35th International Publishers Congress (IPC 2026), scheduled to be held from 5–9 July 2026 at the Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Organised by the International Publishers Association (IPA), Geneva, and hosted by the Malaysian Book Publishers Association (MABOPA), IPC 2026 will bring together publishers, authors, technology innovators, policymakers, rights professionals and publishing stakeholders from across the globe for high-level discussions on the future of publishing.

The Congress theme, "Publishing Intelligence, Sustaining Forward," reflects the publishing industry's commitment to harnessing artificial intelligence, data-driven decision-making, digital innovation and emerging technologies while preserving human creativity, ethical responsibility, copyright principles, sustainability, inclusivity and freedom to publish.

India's Growing Global Publishing Influence

India's participation at IPC 2026 reflects the country's growing stature as one of the world's most dynamic publishing markets. Representing educational publishing, academic publishing, scholarly communication, trade publishing, digital publishing, publishing technology, market intelligence, rights management and public-sector publishing, the delegation demonstrates the diversity and strength of India's publishing ecosystem.

Indian publishers are increasingly participating in international publishing conversations not merely as observers but as active contributors, bringing new ideas, innovation, market intelligence, publishing expertise, rights opportunities and policy perspectives to global platforms. IPC 2026 provides another opportunity for India to strengthen its international partnerships while showcasing its rapidly evolving publishing industry.

Indian Voices to Lead Key Global Conversations

India will be represented on the official Congress programme by two distinguished speakers whose participation highlights the country's expanding influence in shaping global publishing discussions.

Pranav Gupta: India's Perspective on Southeast Asia

On 6 July 2026, Mr Pranav Gupta, Vice President of the Federation of Indian Publishers and Chair of the IPA Data & Statistics Committee, will participate in the rapid-fire session "Gateway to South-East Asia: Entry Paths, Pitfalls & Payoffs."

The session will examine Southeast Asia as one of the world's fastest-growing publishing markets, focusing on market-entry strategies, rights trading, regional collaboration, distribution partnerships and the practical opportunities and challenges publishers face while expanding into the region.

The discussion will be moderated by Ahmed Rashad, Executive Committee Member of the International Publishers Association and CEO of Al Masriah Al Lubnaniah Publishing House, Egypt. Fellow panellists include Sheikh Faisal Sheikh Mansor, President of the ASEAN Book Publishers Association (ABPA) and Malaysian Book Publishers Association (MABOPA), Malaysia, and Li Pengyi, Vice President of the Publishers Association of China.

Mr Gupta will contribute an Indian perspective on cross-border publishing, rights management, data-driven decision-making, emerging publishing formats and opportunities for collaboration between India and Southeast Asian publishing markets.

Yuvraj Malik: Book Fairs Beyond the Exhibition Hall

On 7 July 2026, Shri Yuvraj Malik, Director of the National Book Trust, India, Ministry of Education, will participate in the session "Beyond the Booth: How Book Fairs Become Year-Round Growth Engines."

The session explores how modern book fairs can evolve beyond traditional exhibition models into year-round platforms that promote reader engagement, cultural diplomacy, publishing promotion, digital outreach, community-building and measurable commercial growth.

Drawing on his experience as Director of the National Book Trust, India, and CEO of the New Delhi World Book Fair, Shri Malik will present India's perspective on strengthening reading culture, expanding public-sector publishing initiatives and using book fairs as long-term engines for industry growth and international collaboration.

Indian Delegation

The Indian delegation comprises a distinguished group of publishing leaders, innovators, policymakers and industry professionals representing the breadth and diversity of India's publishing ecosystem.

The delegates include Senthilnathan Sambandan, Ilangoven Appasamy Chinnaswamy, Vishal Dani, Amit Chavan, Manish Jain, Ramesh K. Mittal, Vijaya Kumar Dhupati, Praveen Singh, Monica Malhotra Kandhari, A.T.B. Bose, Prof. Milind Sudhakar Marathe, Yuvraj Malik, Kumar Vikram, Mayank Surolia, Vikrant Mathur, Subrahmanian Seshadri, Pushpita Ghosh, Pallavi Ghosh, Aditi Ghosh, Pranav Gupta, Bharath Sundaram, Sarath Kakumanu and Arjun Chaudhuri.

Together, they represent educational, academic, professional, trade, children's, digital, technology-driven, data-led and policy-oriented publishing sectors, reflecting the diversity, innovation and growing international leadership of Indian publishing.

Mr Ramesh K. Mittal, President, Federation of Indian Publishers, said:

"As Indian publishing moves with confidence into the global arena, it is a matter of pride to see Mr Pranav Gupta and Shri Yuvraj Malik representing India in two important sessions at the IPA Congress. Both reflect the young blood and fresh energy taking Indian publishing to the global level, while carrying forward the values, credibility and strengths built by earlier generations. They understand policy, technology, markets, institutions and international collaboration, and I am confident that both will do very well and make India proud."

Mr Pranav Gupta, Vice President, Federation of Indian Publishers, and Chair of the IPA Data & Statistics Committee, said:

"The International Publishers Congress is the most important global platform for the publishing community. At a time when artificial intelligence, digital transformation, copyright, sustainability and freedom to publish are reshaping our industry, it is essential that India actively contributes to these global conversations. We are proud to be taking one of the largest Indian publishing delegations ever to an IPA Congress. This reflects not only the scale and diversity of Indian publishing but also our growing confidence, international engagement and commitment to shaping the future of global publishing. India is no longer merely a market of immense potential; it is increasingly becoming a strategic partner in the global knowledge economy."

Ms Pushpita Ghosh, Secretary General, Federation of Indian Publishers, said:

"The remarkable size and diversity of the Indian delegation demonstrates the increasing international outlook of Indian publishers. From educational and academic publishing to trade, children's books, digital content and emerging technologies, Indian publishers are actively shaping the industry's future. IPC 2026 provides an excellent platform for learning, networking and collaboration, while also enabling us to showcase the innovation, resilience and creativity that define Indian publishing today. We look forward to strengthening relationships with publishing professionals from across the globe and exploring new avenues for cooperation and growth."

A Platform for Global Collaboration

The 35th International Publishers Congress aims to strengthen international dialogue, foster business opportunities, promote cross-border rights trading, encourage sustainable publishing practices and deepen collaboration across global publishing markets.

As publishers, policymakers, technology innovators and industry leaders gather in Kuala Lumpur, the Indian delegation will proudly represent the country's rich literary heritage, multilingual publishing ecosystem, technological innovation and growing leadership in the international publishing community. The participation of Mr Pranav Gupta and Shri Yuvraj Malik further reinforces India's expanding contribution to global conversations on market development, book fairs, publishing technology, copyright, reader engagement and international cooperation.

With one of its largest-ever delegations and distinguished representation on the official Congress programme, India enters IPC 2026 not only as one of the world's largest publishing markets but also as a strategic partner helping shape the future of global publishing through innovation, collaboration and knowledge exchange.

About the Federation of Indian Publishers (FIP)

Established in 1973, the Federation of Indian Publishers (FIP) is the apex representative body of the Indian publishing industry. It represents publishers across educational, academic, scientific, technical, professional, trade, children's and digital publishing sectors and serves as India's sole member association of the International Publishers Association (IPA), Geneva.

For over six decades, FIP has worked to promote publishing excellence, copyright protection, reading culture, freedom to publish and international cooperation while advancing the long-term interests of India's publishing community.