Delhi World Book Fair 2026 is not just an exhibition of books but a celebration of knowledge, dialogue and culture. Here you can discover new books, meet authors, open up new learning avenues for children and experience cultures from around the world all in one place.
This fair in January 2026 will be a memorable experience for everyone who loves to read, think and learn. Being a part of this great gathering of books is truly a special experience.
Delhi World Book Fair 2026: New Delhi, 10 to 18 January 2026 — If you love the world of books, enjoy stories and connect with new ideas, then the Delhi World Book Fair (NDWBF 2026) to be held in January 2026 is a great opportunity for you. This fair, organized at Bharat Mandapam, is the world’s largest book fair where a wonderful confluence of ideas, stories and cultures will be seen. It is not just a matter of buying and selling books, but a complete cultural and intellectual festival.
The tradition of book fairs is quite old. The first book fair was organized in the city of Frankfurt, Germany in 1462. This was the period when Gutenberg invented the printing press and books started reaching the common people. Today, the Frankfurt Book Fair is the world’s largest publishing trade fair, where 80% of the world’s copyright agreements are negotiated.
Business Fairs: Like the Frankfurt Book Fair, which is for publishers, agents and traders.
Popular Fairs: Such as the Madrid Book Fair, which is open to general readers and where one can meet authors, buy books and watch cultural events.
Combined Model: Such as the Guadalajara (Mexico) International Book Fair, where both commercial and popular aspects are included.
Delhi World Book Fair perfectly presents a combined model, where both trade and celebration are combined.
This fair, being organized in its 53rd edition, is organized by the National Book Trust (NBT) under the Ministry of Education. India is the third largest publishing country in the world, and this fair provides a glimpse of this growing industry.
Grand Scale: This fair spread from Hall No. 2 to 6 will be open from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm. Thousands of stalls, publishers and millions of visitors are expected here.
Rights Exchange Forum (12-13 January): It is a unique B2B platform, where Indian and international publishers sit together and discuss translation and distribution rights of books. It is an important means of transmitting literature of different languages to each other.
International Partnership: Publishers, embassies and cultural centers from around the world hold book launches, workshops and literary dialogues here.
CEO Speak: An exclusive breakfast conference for top leaders from the publishing world to exchange views on the Indian and global book trade.
This fair has brought a colorful experience not only for the traders but also for the readers of all ages and the entire family.
Children’s Pavilion: There will be storytelling sessions, workshops, competitions and live interactions with authors. This is a great way to promote the habit of reading in children.
Author Forum and Author Corner: These specially designed forums will become the center of discussions, panel discussions and book launches. This is a golden opportunity for common readers to meet their favorite authors and understand their creative process.
Theme Pavilion: Designed by the National Institute of Design, this pavilion will bring alive the theme of the fair through artistic exhibitions, graphics and cultural activities.
Celebration of Festivals: It is an event that brings together more than 100 literary and cultural festivals from across India under one roof. Various topics will be discussed in more than 32 sessions.
Cultural programme: Musical bands and cultural performances will be organized to add liveliness to the atmosphere of the fair, attracting both Indian and international participants.
The world’s major book fairs often invite a single country or region as the ‘guest country’. Its objective is to provide a global platform to the literary and cultural heritage of that country. Writers, artists and publishers become ambassadors of their culture. For example, the guest country at the 2022 Frankfurt fair was Spain. On such occasions, translation grants also play an important role, which help in making literature in different languages available to the world. There are opportunities for such activities and cooperation at the international level in the Delhi Fair also.
Date: January 10 to 18, 2026
Location: Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi
Timings: Daily 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Contact: National Book Trust, India
