India’s business events industry could see a fresh policy push as the government and industry stakeholders work towards strengthening the country’s position in the global meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) market.
Key proposals under discussion include creating a corpus fund to support international conference bids, establishing a dedicated mechanism to market India as a global business events destination and reviving the Marketing Development Assistance (MDA) scheme for overseas promotions.
The developments were discussed during the 15th Convention India Conclave (CIC) 2026, organised by the India Convention Promotion Bureau (ICPB) at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi from August 19-21.
Chander Mansharamani, Vice Chairman of ICPB, said the Ministry of Tourism had already sent a proposal for a corpus fund to the Ministry of Finance.
“Under the proposed mechanism, the central government could contribute 50 per cent of the bidding cost with the remaining amount being borne by the concerned state,” Mansharamani said.
He added that India also needs a stronger institutional mechanism for marketing itself as a global MICE destination.
While discussions continue around creating a stronger national marketing mechanism, the Ministry of Tourism is simultaneously shifting towards a more decentralised approach to developing the country’s MICE ecosystem.
The focus is now on encouraging states and cities to establish dedicated MICE bureaus capable of developing local business events infrastructure, building stakeholder networks and bidding for international meetings.
Arun Srivastava, Joint Director General, Ministry of Tourism, said a single central organisation may not be sufficient for a country as large and geographically diverse as India.
“The way forward is to build dedicated MICE bureaus at the state and city levels, which can develop stronger local ecosystems and actively pursue international business events,” Srivastava said.
The ministry has already formulated guidelines for states and Union Territories to establish state- and city-level MICE bureaus. Under the proposed structure, state-level bodies would support the development of city-level bureaus and local MICE ecosystems.
Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat pointed to Hyderabad as an example of how cities can build a coordinated approach to the business events sector.
“There are potentially more than 50 cities across India that could replicate a similar model,” Shekhawat said.
Several states and Union Territories, including Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Delhi, have already begun exploring the establishment of city-level MICE bureaus.
The policy discussions come at a time when India’s MICE industry is projected to grow significantly over the coming years.
According to the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), India’s MICE market could reach US$103.7 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of more than 13 per cent. Medical sciences and technology are expected to be among the sectors driving demand for meetings and conferences.
Senthil Gopinath, CEO of ICCA, said India has made considerable progress in building its business events ecosystem, supported by efforts from both the government and private sector.
“India has hosted more than 3,300 meetings over the past five decades and currently ranks 26th globally. However, the country’s share of the global meetings market remains relatively small, leaving significant scope for future growth,” Gopinath said.
India’s association ecosystem could also play an important role in attracting international meetings. With more than 1,138 associations already operating in the country, India has a sizeable network of potential local partners who can help build connections with international organisations and support conference bids.
India’s MICE sector eyes policy push as government shifts focus to states and cities
