New Delhi, Aug 21:The lights came up on PackPlus’s 20th edition this morning at Bharat Mandapam, where a lamp-lighting ceremony opened three days that will see over 250 exhibitors from 15-plus countries and an expected 15,000 trade visitors move through India’s largest packaging showcase. The event has grown alongside the industry it serves, one that’s now the fifth-largest in the Indian economy and on a track to nearly double, from US Dollar 101 billion last year to a projected US Dollar 170 billion by 2030.
Dr. Tanweer Alam of the Indian Institute of Packaging opened proceedings with a keynote before handing the floor to a day of conference sessions built around the theme ‘Packaging as the Engine of Growth for the Indian Economy’. Panels through the day pulled in voices from Tetra Pak, Pernod Ricard, Nestlé and IIT Roorkee, moving from BIS compliance and flexible materials to the sustainability-versus-greenwashing debate and, by late afternoon, a talk show on where AI is actually landing in packaging design, from shelf-life prediction to authentication.
Out on the floor, the story was less about panels and more about product: over 500 live machinery demonstrations, international suppliers setting up alongside domestic manufacturers, and a visitor base organisers describe as unusually senior, heavy on plant heads and procurement leads rather than browsers.
Umang Gupta, Country Head, RX India said
“India’s packaging industry stands at an inflection point. Against a global packaging market now valued at over USD 1.1 trillion and growing steadily through 2034, India is among the fastest-moving markets, propelled by rising consumption, a booming food and beverage sector, the e-commerce surge, and an accelerating shift toward sustainable, intelligent packaging. This is precisely the moment PackPlus is built for. The show brings the entire value chain, from raw materials and converting to processing and supply chain, together under one roof, giving manufacturers, brand owners and innovators a single platform to discover technology, forge partnerships, and shape what comes next for the industry.”
Shradha Malik, Event Director, PackPlus
“PackPlus has always been more than an exhibition; it is where the packaging community comes together to do business, exchange ideas, and discover what’s next. This year, our focus has been on creating an experience that delivers real value at every touchpoint, from live machinery demonstrations and new-to-market launches to focused business matchmaking and a knowledge agenda led by some of the industry’s sharpest minds. We have curated a floor that connects serious buyers with the right solution providers, so every conversation has the potential to turn into a partnership. Seeing manufacturers, brand owners, and innovators walk away with new technology, new connections, and new opportunities is what makes this platform so special.”
The show runs through 22 August, with the exhibition floor open to registered trade visitors for the remainder of the run.