RX India, an events and exhibitions company, announced the conference agenda for the 20th edition of PackPlus 2026, India’s premier exhibition for the packaging, converting, and supply chain industry, to be held from 20–22 August 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. Built around the theme ‘Packaging as the Engine of Growth for the Indian Economy’, the conference will bring together policymakers, industry leaders, and technology experts to chart the sector’s course on standards, sustainability, and innovation.
Packaging is currently the fifth-largest sector of the Indian economy and the unsung hero driving innovation and growth across agriculture, retail, FMCG, pharmaceuticals, and supply chain. Valued at US$ 101.12 billion in 2025, the Indian packaging industry is projected to reach US$ 169.73 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 10.73%. Against this backdrop, the PackPlus 2026 conference will examine how the industry can convert this momentum into a lasting competitive advantage for Indian manufacturing, according to RX India. Â
The conference will begin with an inauguration and lamp-lighting ceremony, followed by a welcome address from RX India. The inaugural panel discussion, “Packaging Standards – Compliance Goes from Obligation to Differentiator,” will examine Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) norms for packaging materials, the role of standardization in enhancing global competitiveness, the impact of foreign direct investment, and the increasing use of recycled materials in paper and pulp-based packaging.
The second session, “Pushing the Physical Barriers of Packaging – Flexible Packaging is the Future,” will focus on India’s flexible packaging market, valued at US$ 18 billion in 2025 and expected to grow significantly over the coming years. Industry experts will discuss AI integration, smart packaging technologies, material innovation, and the challenge of reducing packaging material while maintaining product safety, protection and print quality.
Following lunch, the panel discussion, “Thinking Beyond the Bin – Can Sustainable Packaging Replace Plastics?”, will explore the realities of sustainable packaging, addressing green packaging versus greenwashing, returnable and minimalistic packaging designs, q-commerce-led reuse models, and the industry’s accelerating shift away from single-use plastics.
The conference will conclude with “AI-Powered Smart Packaging – The Future of Intelligent Packaging,” highlighting how artificial intelligence is transforming the packaging ecosystem through RFID and QR code-enabled traceability, product authentication, defect detection, shelf-life prediction, personalised consumer engagement, and end-to-end process optimisation.
Speaking on the announcement, Umang Gupta, country head, RX India, said, “The packaging sector today is an integral part of any product used by Indian consumers or across industrial sectors like manufacturing, FMCG, Agriculture, Pharmaceuticals. The changing policy framework, guidelines and packaging technology is rapidly shaping the economics of the packaging sector. Pack Plus has been the industry’s flagship event where policymakers, industry leaders and innovators have been coming together to shape industry standards, sustainability and the future of India’s packaging ecosystem. This year’s Pack Plus event and conclave will be integrating these emerging industry trends with high value sourcing needs that will enable participants to modernize and streamline their packaging infrastructure driving growth for their business.”
The PackPlus 2026 Conference will be one of the key highlights on the opening day of the exhibition. PackPlus 2026, taking place from 20–22 August 2026, is expected to bring together 250+ exhibitors and 15,000+ industry professionals from across the packaging value chain, including FMCG, e-commerce, food & beverage, pharmaceuticals, textiles, logistics and modern retail. Visitors will also experience 500+ live machinery demonstrations and discover the latest innovations in packaging, printing, converting and supply chain solutions from leading Indian and international companies.
