How exactly does EPCH help international buyers like me?
EPCH primarily acts as an information provider. They organize events like IHGF for overseas buyers. Their role ends at introductions and event organization.
What exactly is the IHGF & IFJAS Delhi Fair?
IHGF & IFJAS Delhi Fair is the largest fair in the home and lifestyle category — a prestigious B2B event that invites overseas buyers, bulk domestic buyers, and buying houses.
Here you will find a huge selection with over 2000 product lines and more than 300 trends across 16 distinct categories. It’s essentially India’s premier handicrafts and home décor trade exhibition where manufacturers, exporters, and artisans showcase their products to international buyers.
When and where does it happen?
IHGF happens twice a year: The 59th IHGF Delhi Fair Spring 2025 is from April 16–19, 2025, and the 60th IHGF Delhi Fair Autumn 2025 will be from October 13–17, 2025.
Both are held at India Expo Centre & Mart, Greater Noida, Delhi NCR. The Spring edition typically focuses on new launches and trends, while the Autumn edition emphasizes seasonal products and holiday merchandise.
Do I need to pre-register as a foreign buyer?
Yes, pre-registration is essential. Only trade visitors aged 18+ with registration/invitation are allowed. Foreign buyers typically get priority processing and special buyer programs if they register in advance through EPCH’s international buyer registration system.
What product category are you focused on?
You need to specify this based on your business needs.
IHGF covers 16 major categories including home décor, textiles, fashion accessories, furniture, lighting, garden accessories, Christmas decorations, artificial jewelry, leather goods, wooden crafts, metal crafts, ceramics, glassware, and handmade paper products.
Each category has dedicated halls, so knowing your focus helps plan your fair strategy effectively.
Are the products at IHGF exclusive to this fair, or will I see them on Alibaba or Canton Fair as well?
IHGF specializes in authentic Indian handicrafts with cultural significance that you won’t find at Canton Fair.
Are the exhibitors primarily manufacturers, exporters, or middlemen?
It’s a mix, but the majority are exporters who may or may not be direct manufacturers. About 40% are direct manufacturers, 35% are export houses that work with multiple artisan clusters, and 25% are middlemen or trading companies. The challenge is distinguishing between them during the fair, as their booth presentations can look equally impressive. This is where due diligence becomes crucial.
Which Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts events should I prioritize for authentic Indian handicrafts?
Prioritize IHGF Delhi Fair (both Spring and Autumn editions) as they’re the flagship events.
Additionally, consider regional EPCH events like the Jaipur Handicrafts Fair for textiles and jewelry, Mumbai Handicrafts Fair for home décor, and Kolkata Handicrafts Fair for handloom products.
These regional fairs often have more authentic, specialized products but fewer international buyers, giving you better access to artisans.
Should I hire a sourcing agent before attending IHGF Delhi Fair, or can I find one at the fair itself?
Hire a sourcing agent 4–6 weeks before the fair. Panoramic Sourcing can assist with Pre-fair preparation is crucial — agents need time to research exhibitors, arrange meetings and develop a strategic plan.
You can save sourcing time by shortlisting hundreds of potential products and get better terms and faster responses from suppliers after the fair as you portray yourself as a serious buyer by meeting them in person. Finding an agent at the fair itself is too late and inefficient.
What’s the cost difference between hiring an agent for fair assistance versus trying to navigate EPCH fairs on my own?
A professional sourcing agent for fair assistance typically costs $200–400 per day plus commission on orders placed.
Going alone might seem cheaper, but consider hidden costs: wrong supplier selection can cost 20–30% markup, quality issues can destroy your reputation and time wasted on unqualified exhibitors reduces your ROI.
The agent’s local knowledge and pre-screened supplier list usually pays for itself through better pricing and fewer mistakes.
Will a sourcing agent’s pre-fair research really save me time, or is it just an unnecessary expense?
Pre-fair research is invaluable. Agents spend 2–3 weeks before the fair analysing exhibitor lists, checking previous participation records, verifying manufacturing capabilities, and creating customized meeting schedules.
Without this, you’ll spend your first 1–2 fair days just figuring out the layout and identifying relevant exhibitors.
The research investment typically saves 60–70% of your fair time and increases qualified meetings by 300%.
With only 4–5 days at IHGF Delhi Fair, how can a sourcing agent maximize my time versus me going alone?
Agents maximize time through: pre-scheduled appointments (vs. random booth visits), strategic hall routing (covering 16 product categories efficiently), real-time translation and cultural interpretation, immediate supplier verification and parallel processing (while you’re in one meeting, they’re confirming the next).
A good agent can help you meet 15–20 quality suppliers versus 5–7 you might manage alone, with much higher conversion rates.
Can sourcing agents arrange factory visits to exhibitors’ facilities during or after the fair?
Handicraft sourcing companies streamline the process by managing supplier vetting, quality control, and logistics.
Yes, professional agents routinely arrange factory visits, but timing matters. During the fair, key personnel are at exhibition booths, so post-fair visits (within 1–2 weeks) are more productive.
Agents coordinate these visits, provide transportation, handle translation, and conduct systematic facility audits to verify production capabilities, quality systems, and working conditions that you observed in samples at the fair.
Key Points to Keep in Mind at IHGF Delhi Fair
Do Your Homework Before You Land
Identify and shortlist exhibitors based on your product focus and business requirements. With thousands of booths spread across multiple halls, having a clear plan helps you stay focused and efficient.
Mark the locations of your shortlisted vendors to streamline your route and make the most of your time on the ground.
Ask the Right Questions
Beautiful displays can be impressive, but you need to dig into the business fundamentals. Always ask about minimum order quantities (MOQs), lead times for production and shipping, payment and pricing terms (such as FOB or CIF), and their export history.
These questions will help you determine whether the supplier is capable of fulfilling international orders reliably and at the scale you need.
Collect Smart, Not Just Samples
Don’t just collect brochures and catalogues — collect meaningful information.
Take photos of the booth along with the exhibitor’s business card or product labels to keep everything organized.
These details are invaluable when you’re sorting through leads later and trying to recall who offered what.
Follow Up Fast
Make it a priority to follow up with the suppliers you’re interested in within a few days of returning home. Reach out while your meeting is still fresh in their minds — ideally within 72 hours.
If needed, a professional sourcing partner like Panoramic Sourcing can assist with structured follow-ups and post-fair communication to ensure smoother negotiations.