Sixty-two editions in, and the stage still draws the world to India's artisans. Union Textiles Minister Giriraj Singh inaugurated the 62nd Indian Handicrafts & Gifts Fair (Autumn 2026) at the India Expo Centre and Mart, Greater Noida, on Tuesday, 13 October 2026 — marking another chapter in the country's oldest and largest trade platform dedicated to handicrafts, home décor, furniture, gifting, and lifestyle exports.

Six decades of connecting Indian craft to global buyers

Organised by the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH) — the apex body under the Ministry of Textiles tasked with expanding the sector's global footprint — the fair has run for over six decades, held twice a year at the sprawling India Expo Centre in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The platform brings under one roof Indian artisans, designers, and exporters from across the country, placing them face-to-face with international buyers hunting for authentic, hand-crafted goods.

Minister Singh, posting on X in Hindi, described the fair as a 'प्रतिष्ठित मंच' — a prestigious platform — that has, year after year, helped carry 'हस्तशिल्प, होम डेकोर, फर्नीचर, गिफ्टिंग और लाइफस्टाइल उत्पादों' (handicrafts, home décor, furniture, gifting, and lifestyle products) into international markets while opening 'new doors of opportunity for artisans.'

Why handicraft trade fairs are a Ministry of Textiles priority

India's handicraft sector is overwhelmingly MSME-dominated and deeply labour-intensive — a natural fit for a government strategy that targets both export earnings and rural employment at the same time. The Ministry of Textiles has consistently used sector-specific trade fairs as instruments to integrate small producers and traditional craft clusters into global value chains without displacing the handmade character of the goods.

The EPCH's biannual fair calendar — spring and autumn editions — ensures exporters maintain continuity with overseas buyers even as product lines evolve with global design trends. For artisans in clusters spread across states, an appearance at Greater Noida's expo mart can translate directly into forward orders that sustain livelihoods for entire communities.

What the fair's longevity signals for Indian craft exports

Reaching a 62nd edition is not a routine milestone. It reflects decades of institutional continuity — successive governments, changing trade environments, two global disruptions — and a handicraft export community resilient enough to keep showing up. The autumn fair caps the calendar year's second buying cycle, giving exporters a critical window to lock in orders ahead of the international holiday season.

The fair's consistent return to India Expo Centre and Mart — one of South Asia's largest exhibition venues — also signals the scale the sector has grown into: this is no boutique showcase but a commercial platform that competes for global sourcing budgets.

As Indian handicraft exports continue to hold their place in global lifestyle and décor markets, platforms like this one remain the clearest proof that a craftsperson in a small cluster and a buyer in a distant market can still find each other — two editions a year, year after year.