India presented its agricultural transformation — anchored in small farmer innovation, sustainability, and growing self-sufficiency — at SIAL Paris 2026, one of the world's largest food industry exhibitions. The India pavilion, titled 'Feeding Our Tomorrow', was the centrepiece of the country's debut as Partner Country at the event held at Paris Nord Villepinte from 17 to 21 October 2026.

India's Presence at SIAL Paris 2026

Jawed Ashraf, Chairman of the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), led India's delegation at the exhibition. Ashraf, who served as India's ambassador to France and Monaco from 2020 to 2024, described a structural shift in Indian agriculture — towards more sustainable, climate-resilient farming with reduced chemical use and improved traceability.

Emerging technologies including drones, sensors, artificial intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT) are reportedly helping farmers manage water, fertilisers, and crop protection with greater efficiency — a growing advantage as extreme weather events put increasing pressure on global food production, according to reports.

Women Farmers Take the Spotlight

The United Nations has designated 2026 the 'International Year of the Woman Farmer', and Ashraf used the occasion to highlight the transformative role Indian women are playing in the country's agricultural sector. Many farmer-producer organisations across India are founded and led by women, contributing to higher household incomes and greater autonomy within rural communities.

Among those who travelled to Paris for the exhibition was Priyanka Rhushikesh Mohite, a certified agricultural drone pilot from Nashik in Maharashtra. Her drone is used to spray nano fertilisers and spread seeds. She noted that irrigating one acre once required a full day and around 200 litres of water; with the drone, the same task now takes seven to eight minutes and just 10 litres — a striking reduction in both labour and resource use.

Premium Foods, GI Tags and Traceability

The SIAL pavilion placed significant emphasis on India's packaged, ready-to-eat, and premium food offerings, supported by robust traceability systems and Geographical Indication (GI) tags. Products spotlighted included Naga chilli and Mithila makhana — the edible seeds of the fox nut plant — as examples of India's region-specific food heritage that commands premium positioning in global markets.

India already feeds roughly one sixth of humanity, producing grains, fruit, vegetables, dairy, meat, and seafood at scale. Ashraf indicated that pairing this production capacity with more sustainable methods is central to India's long-term food strategy.

EU-India FTA and European Market Expansion

The EU-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), concluded in January 2026, is expected to be signed by the end of the year. It builds on India's existing trade arrangements with the United Kingdom and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), which have already opened up new opportunities for Indian food products through zero or reduced tariffs.

Ashraf expressed optimism that the FTA's benefits could extend to farmers and small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), provided they meet European market requirements and successfully reach buyers. Notably, ITPO is also reportedly evaluating the opening of offices in several European cities, with Frankfurt, Paris, Milan, and Rotterdam among the options under consideration.

The challenge for India, according to reports, is to scale such technological and market-access progress more broadly — ensuring that gains are not confined to early-adopting farms but reach the wider smallholder community that defines Indian agriculture.