India at Abu Dhabi Book Fair 2026: A Focused Presence for Indian Publishing
Indian publishers use Abu Dhabi platform to explore international markets and industry connections
ABU DHABI: India’s publishing industry was represented at the 35th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2026 through a focused delegation under CAPEXIL’s Books, Publications & Printing Panel.
The 35th edition of the fair was held at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi from 13 to 18 September 2026. According to the official Abu Dhabi International Book Fair figures, the event brought together 1,200 exhibitors from 95 countries and featured more than 1,500 cultural, intellectual, artistic and educational events and activities. (adbookfair.com)
The Indian participation comprised 14 representatives through the CAPEXIL initiative, bringing publishers and publishing professionals together at the Indian Pavilion.
Ambassador interacts with Indian publishers
An important moment during the Indian participation was the visit of Dr. Deepak Mittal, Ambassador of India to the UAE, to the Indian Pavilion.
During his visit, Ambassador Mittal interacted with representatives of the participating Indian publishing houses, taking the opportunity to understand the books, publishing programmes and businesses being presented at the pavilion.
For the participating publishers, the interaction offered an opportunity to discuss their work directly and explore the possibilities presented by the UAE’s publishing and education ecosystem.
The presence of Indian publishers at an international fair of this scale also provided an avenue for professional networking with publishers, educators, librarians, distributors and other stakeholders from different markets.
India’s publishing industry continues to expand
The participation comes at a time when India’s domestic publishing sector is showing significant growth.
The India Book Market Report 2026–2030, prepared by the Federation of Indian Publishers in partnership with NielsenIQ BookData, projects India’s book publishing market to reach US$21.4 billion by 2030–31. The report covers developments across print and digital publishing, education, research and other segments of the industry. (indianprinterpublisher.com)
The Times of India, reporting on the study, said India’s book publishing market was estimated at around ₹1.08 lakh crore in 2024–25 and could approach ₹2 lakh crore by 2030–31. The report places the estimated print-book market at ₹95,816 crore, digital publishing at ₹7,048 crore and scholarly journals at ₹5,150 crore. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
An international market for Indian content
The UAE offers Indian publishers a market that extends across communities, educational institutions and international business networks.
For publishers, opportunities can include book distribution, educational publishing, children’s content, translation, licensing, digital formats and intellectual-property rights.
The Abu Dhabi International Book Fair is also increasingly focused on the professional side of publishing. Its 2026 programme addressed areas including digital transformation, artificial intelligence, intellectual property and translation, alongside its cultural and educational programmes. (wam.ae)
Building connections beyond the fair
India’s participation in Abu Dhabi represents one part of the country’s wider engagement with international publishing markets.
For the publishers who participated, the value of the fair lies not only in exhibiting books but also in building relationships that can continue after the event — with distributors, schools, institutions, publishers and potential rights partners.
As India’s publishing market grows and international book fairs increasingly become platforms for rights, technology and content partnerships, events such as Abu Dhabi provide Indian publishers with an opportunity to take their work to a broader audience.
The Indian Pavilion at Abu Dhabi 2026 was therefore a focused representation of an industry that is increasingly looking outward — connecting Indian publishing with readers, institutions and business opportunities beyond the domestic market.
