The maiden edition of Digital Print Asia 2025, held on 21 and 22 August 2025 at Novotel Jaipur, served as a key meeting point for industry leaders, innovators, and decision-makers across the digital printing and packaging landscape. The initiative brought together key players who explored how emerging technologies and techniques can enhance the industry’s capabilities, and discussed the robust adoption of digital in India.
The two-day conference highlighted how premiumization, cost optimization, and sustainability have driven the rapid growth of digital’s market share. Personalization and security are key areas where digital is an asset.
The inauguration of Digital Print Asia 2025 was led by Nihar Kothari, executive editor and director, The Patrika Group; Seiji Nakashima, corporate vice president and division president of professional print business headquarters, Konica Minolta; Anil Arora, director, Reenvision Events; Tushar Dhote, curator of Digital Print Asia; Janaka Rathnakumara, chief executive officer, Wijeya Newspaper; Satish Malhotra, president, All India Federation of Master Printers; and Vinod Kumar Sharma, president, Rajasthan Offset Printers Association.
The event focused on next-generation innovations, technology adoption, and market trends within the digital print ecosystem, with a curated agenda featuring breakout sessions on flexible packaging and label printing, book printing, and digital commercial printing and packaging.
Platinum partner Konica Minolta and principal partner Technova addressed the growth of digital adoption and the legacy of printing. They reminded the audience that demands will change with changing times, so OEMs and service providers will need to rethink their approach with future-ready solutions.
In his presentation, Konica Minolta‘s Nakashima referred to the cool and breezy weather in India while highlighting the robust adoption of digital in the last five years. “Despite the decreasing print volume,” he said, “the number of digital machines installed has definitely grown.” He said Konica Minolta leads with more than 50% market share of digital machines in India.
On upcoming challenges in the global printing industry, he noted that labor shortages and talent acquisition, rising costs and supply chain instability due to geopolitical issues, environmental and digital transformation pressures, and profitability and price competition will be key focus areas to sustain businesses.
Amit Khurana, CEO of Technova, highlighted the resilience and relevance of print through the ages. He referred to the rise of television, FM radio, Internet blogging, and YouTube as times when print was thought to be endangered, and each time, print came through with a better value proposition. “These times are not to be uncertain but to rethink what new possibilities print can achieve. Our collaborative efforts should not only be a response to the needs of today but for the future too.”
Day 2 of the summit was marked by an engaging series of breakout sessions, each designed to highlight transformative innovations and practical solutions shaping the print landscape.
Breakout 1 – Flexible packaging and label printing
This session opened with insightful sessions on the power of inkjet technologies and their role in enhancing productivity and print quality. A highlight was a discussion on how digital print empowers startups, enabling small businesses to compete with agility in a highly competitive market. The segment concluded with an expert panel discussion, offering diverse perspectives from across the value chain.
Breakout 2 – Exploring innovation in book printing
The second breakout was dedicated to publishing, where stakeholders came together to discuss digital solutions for book printing. Key topics included the publishers’ viewpoint on digital adoption, innovations in binding solutions for digital printing, and advances such as head cleaning technologies. A compelling case study from Inkfinity Prints showcased real-world applications, while discussions on paper printing for digital books further enriched the knowledge exchange. The session concluded with a thought-provoking panel discussion on the future of digital book publishing.
Breakout 3 – Digital commercial printing & packaging
The final breakout addressed the broader landscape of commercial printing. Sessions delved into the role of artificial intelligence in the printing world, opportunities in inkjet for commercial printers, and concluded with a panel discussion that tied together practical insights with forward-looking strategies for printers seeking to innovate in packaging and commercial solutions.
Adding his perspective, Dhote said, “Digital Print Asia was about creating a platform that brings together technology providers, printers, and innovators under one roof to discuss what’s next for our industry. The response to this first edition validates the need for such a forum, and we look forward to taking this dialogue further in the years to come.”
Powered by the support of industry leaders, the event had Konica Minolta on board as Platinum Partner, TechNova Imaging Systems as Principal Partner, Insight Print Communication as Gold Partner, Redington and Bindwel as Silver Partners, while Sona Fine Paper, Canon, and Domino supported as Bronze Partners.
Building on the success of this year’s edition, Digital Print Asia has officially announced its next edition in Kochi, where the summit will return with expanded discussions and greater global participation. The upcoming edition will provide attendees with even deeper opportunities to connect with industry pioneers and explore new avenues for sustainable business growth.
