New Delhi, Aug 28: The Federation of Indian Publishers organised the Indian Publishers Conference 2026 in New Delhi, bringing together publishers, authors, policymakers, technology leaders, legal experts and industry professionals to examine the opportunities and challenges emerging at the intersection of publishing and artificial intelligence.
The conference focused on copyright and licensing in the AI era, the responsible adoption of artificial intelligence, technology-led publishing growth, and the policy, skills, workflows and business models required to build an AI-ready publishing ecosystem in India.
Delivering the Welcome Address, Ramesh Mittal, President, Federation of Indian Publishers, highlighted the long-term growth potential of the Indian publishing industry, observing that demand for books is expected to increase further as literacy and access to education continue to expand across the country.
In his Opening Address, Pranav Gupta, Conference Director and Vice President, Federation of Indian Publishers, called for a balanced and collaborative approach towards technology and creativity.
“We are living in an extraordinary moment for publishing. At one end, technology is moving at a speed very few of us could have imagined, while at the other we have something that has existed for centuries: human imagination, originality and creativity. The debate is not AI versus publishing or technology versus creativity. The real conversation is about how these forces can work together responsibly.”
Gupta said publishers across the world are confronting fundamental questions around innovation, intellectual property and sustainable licensing models, including how publishers, authors, technology companies and policymakers can work together responsibly.
Education growth could create significant demand for publishing
Delivering the Keynote Address, Sanjay Kumar, IAS Retd., reflected on the changing relationship between technology, education and publishing. He noted that while printing technologies have continuously evolved, the book as a product has demonstrated remarkable resilience and continuity.
Highlighting the scale of India’s education system and the potential expansion in enrolment, he observed that millions of students progressing through secondary and higher education in the coming years could create significant opportunities for educational and textbook publishing.
Google for Education: Trusted content will matter even more in the AI era
A special fireside conversation on “Publishing and Technology: Building the Future of Learning Together” featured Sanjay Jain, Head of Google for Education, India, Google, in conversation with Pranav Gupta, Vice President, FIP.
“One challenge with AI is the question of the sanctity of the content that the AI engine is providing. This is where the publishing industry stands out, because it brings authentic and trusted content.”
Jain also highlighted the increasing importance of collaboration between publishers and technology companies, observing that the future will increasingly be shaped by partnerships between the two sectors.
Copyright, Licensing & AI: Creating value while protecting rights
The session “Copyright, Licensing & AI: Protecting Rights and Creating Value in the AI Era” examined copyright, licensing, fair use, attribution, remuneration and value-sharing as artificial intelligence systems increasingly depend on large volumes of high-quality content. Drawing upon recent legal developments, including the ANI Media-OpenAI case, the panel explored sustainable frameworks for the use of copyrighted works in AI systems.
Moderated by Nishtha Sharma, Research and Programme Coordinator, National Law University Delhi, the session featured Divya Srinivasan, IP Attaché and Senior Intellectual Property Advisor for India, Intellectual Property Office UK, British High Commission; Rahul Goel, Partner, AnantLaw; and Nikhil Naren, Assistant Professor at Jindal Global Law School, Assistant Director of the Cyril Shroff Centre for AI, Law & Regulation, and Of Counsel at Scriboard.
The discussion underlined the need for a balanced framework that protects creativity and intellectual property while enabling innovation and responsible technological development.
AI as an Enabler for Publishing Growth
The second session, “AI as an Enabler for Publishing: How Technology Can Help Publishers Grow,” examined how publishers can responsibly deploy AI across editorial workflows, translation, metadata, discoverability, marketing, accessibility, content development and production.
Moderated by Subrahmanian Seshadari, Co-Founder and CEO, Overleaf Books LLP, the session featured Vishal Dani, Executive Vice President and Head, Business and Operations, KITABOO; Ashok Giri, Chief Executive Officer, PageMajik; and Monica Malhotra Kandhari, Managing Director, MBD Group. The speakers highlighted practical applications that can improve productivity while preserving editorial judgement, creativity and quality.
Building an AI-Ready Publishing Ecosystem for India
The third session, “Building an AI-Ready Publishing Ecosystem: Policy, Skills, Workflows and Business Models for the Future,” examined what India needs beyond technology adoption to build a competitive and responsible publishing ecosystem.
Moderated by Vikrant Mathur, Executive Director, Nielsen BookData, the session featured Yuvraj Malik, Director, National Book Trust, India; Senthil Nathan, Founder and CEO, Ailaysa Technologies Private Limited; and Pranav Gupta, Vice President, Federation of Indian Publishers.
The discussion covered workforce readiness, digital infrastructure, content and metadata standards, innovation incentives, emerging revenue models and greater collaboration between publishers and policymakers. Speakers emphasised the need for an enabling environment that supports creativity, intellectual property, technological innovation and the long-term growth of the publishing and knowledge economy.
Industry-focused technology and dispute-resolution presentations
The conference also featured special industry presentations. Chander Shekhar, Founder, Spring Time Software Solutions Pvt. Ltd., presented “THE CARAVAN: 24 Years in the Book Trade, One Relationship at a Time.” Namita Shah, Co-Founder and Head – Product & Finance, Presolv360, presented on “Online Dispute Resolution for the Indian Publishing Industry,” highlighting emerging mechanisms for efficient resolution of commercial disputes within the publishing ecosystem.
Special Souvenir Released
A special souvenir titled “Publishing at the Crossroads: Voices, Vision & the Future of India’s Knowledge Economy” was formally released in the presence of Hon’ble Mr Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva, Judge, Supreme Court of India, and Yuvraj Malik, Director, National Book Trust, India.
Bringing together perspectives from across the publishing ecosystem, the publication captures an industry navigating rapid technological change while exploring new opportunities for growth, collaboration and innovation. The conference concluded with a Vote of Thanks delivered by Pushpita Ghosh, General Secretary, Federation of Indian Publishers.