The 45th India International Trade Fair (IITF 2026) returns to Bharat Mandapam at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, with the theme Vikas aur Virasat (Development and Heritage). For the first time in decades the formal inauguration is scheduled for 13 November 2026 instead of Jawaharlal Nehru's birthday on 14 November. Business visitors get 14 to 18 November; the general public gets 19 to 27 November. This visitor guide covers the revised schedule, the ticket-rate conflict between older ITPO factsheet figures and NDTV's 5 November report of new public prices, gates, timings and how to book without standing in the wrong metro queue.
IITF 2026 dates at a glance
- Formal inauguration: 13 November 2026. NDTV reports no commercial activity on inauguration day.
- Business days: 14 to 18 November 2026 (B2B focus).
- General public days: 19 to 27 November 2026.
- Overall fair window cited by The Tribune: 13 to 27 November 2026 at Bharat Mandapam.
The change ends a roughly 46-year habit of opening on 14 November, a tradition The Tribune traces to the fair's early years after its 1979 launch. The ITPO IITF 2026 factsheet still frames exhibition dates as 14 to 27 November with business days 14 to 18 and general days 19 to 27, which matches the commercial calendar even though media coverage now puts the ceremonial start on 13 November. Reconfirm the day you plan to enter on the ITPO booking channels closer to your visit.
Theme and what you will see
ITPO's factsheet lists the theme as Vikas aur Virasat. Hall profiles in the same sheet point to a multi-product mix: state and central government pavilions, partner and focus country areas, electronics and consumer goods, processed food, handicrafts, start-ups and cultural programmes in open amphitheatres. Treat hall maps as tentative until the fair publishes a final visitor layout. The event remains a B2B and B2C showcase rather than a single-theme expo.
Fair timings and gates
Per the ITPO factsheet:
- Fair timings: 10:00 AM to 7:30 PM from 14 to 27 November 2026.
- General public entry window listed: 10:00 AM to 5:30 PM (exhibitors listed 9:30 AM to 7:30 PM).
- Visitor gates: Gate Nos. 3 and 4 on Bhairon Road; Gate Nos. 6 and 10 on Mathura Road.
Include both the 7:30 PM fair close and the 5:30 PM general-entry note, then reconfirm on your ticket or the ITPO portal. Peak public weekends are crowded; arrive early if you want state pavilion queues to move.
Ticket rates: factsheet vs NDTV update
There is a clear conflict between documents. The circulated ITPO factsheet still prints older-style non-business rates such as adult weekend Rs 150 and weekday Rs 80 (with child weekend Rs 60 and weekday Rs 40), while business-day adult and child tickets are listed at Rs 500. NDTV's 5 November 2026 utility report says ITPO raised general-public tickets after Chairman Committee approval on 28 October 2026:
- Public weekdays (as reported by NDTV): adult Rs 100 (from Rs 80); child Rs 50 (from Rs 40).
- Public weekends (as reported by NDTV): adult Rs 200 (from Rs 150); child Rs 100 (from Rs 60).
- Business days: still Rs 500 per person for adult and child, unchanged in that report.
For planning, prefer the NDTV-reported public rates as the post-approval update, and treat the factsheet public column as older printed figures until ITPO's live booking page shows the amount you will actually pay. Rates above are described as inclusive of GST in the factsheet notes for the older card; always read the amount on the payment screen.
The factsheet also states that senior citizens and Divyang visitors get free entry on general public days (19 to 27 November) with a valid government ID showing date of birth; companions still need tickets. Season tickets for business days, non-business days and exhibitors appear on the factsheet for multi-day visitors.
Where to buy tickets
NDTV lists online booking through the ITPO portal, the DMRC app and partner e-ticketing platforms, plus offline counters at more than 55 major Delhi-NCR metro customer-care points. It explicitly notes that Pragati Maidan metro station does not host the trade-fair ticket counter. Buy ahead for weekend public days if you want to skip long on-site lines.
How IITF fits a Delhi November trip
Public days overlap late-November festival travel. Goa hosts IFFI 2026 from 20 to 28 November; Rajasthan's Pushkar Mela 2026 and Odisha's Bali Jatra 2026 sit in the same broad window. If you are sequencing North India stops, our winter travel guide and festival calendar for 2026-27 help avoid double-booking trains out of Delhi.
Practical visitor tips
- Carry a government photo ID matching your ticket category, especially for senior or Divyang free entry.
- Wear comfortable shoes; hall hops on public weekends are long.
- Keep a small amount of cash for stalls that may not take cards, but prefer UPI where available.
- Photograph product labels if you plan B2B follow-ups on business days; collect exhibitor cards instead of relying on memory.
- Reconfirm gate numbers on your ticket SMS or the ITPO site the morning you go.
Frequently asked questions
When does IITF 2026 open to the public?
General public days are 19 to 27 November 2026. Business visitors enter 14 to 18 November. The formal inauguration is reported for 13 November without commercial activity that day.
What are the new general ticket prices?
Per NDTV's report of the 28 October ITPO approval: weekday adult Rs 100, child Rs 50; weekend adult Rs 200, child Rs 100. Business days remain Rs 500. The older factsheet PDF still shows lower public rates; trust the live booking total.
Where is IITF held?
Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. Visitor gates listed in the factsheet are 3 and 4 on Bhairon Road and 6 and 10 on Mathura Road.
Are seniors free?
The factsheet says senior citizens and Divyang visitors are free on general public days with valid government ID stating date of birth. Persons accompanying them buy tickets.
Sources: The Tribune (30 September 2026), NDTV utility report (5 November 2026), and the ITPO IITF 2026 factsheet PDF. Schedules and tariffs can still be updated on ITPO channels before you travel.
Featured image: DesiBoy101 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0 (resized). Bharat Mandapam exterior; not an official IITF 2026 publicity still.
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