Book fairs drew crowds as publishers spot shifts in selling models

In New Delhi, the 53rd edition of the New Delhi World Book Fair was held from 10 to 18 January 2026 at Bharat Mandapam.

Speaking to PrintWeek, Leonard Fernandes, co-founder of CinnamonTeal Publishing and organiser of PublishingNext, said the scale of visitor interest remained unmistakable. “There was a large footfall with some stalls having hardly any room to manoeuvre,” he said, adding that it “makes you wonder what these people who talk about the death of the book are smoking.”

Fernandes said there appeared to be “many more stalls this year”, although he was told “the number of publishers exhibiting was less”. He also observed a clear rise in alternative selling models and service-led participation. “Many stalls by self-publishing services were seen, as also many stalls by online sellers,” he said. He added that “even bookshops, like Crossword and Sapna, had stalls”, calling it “curious”.

At the same time, he noted fewer stalls selling discounted stock. “There were fewer stalls selling remaindered and second-hand books,” he said, while also pointing to a possible barrier for first-time exhibitors. “There were fewer new publishers,” Fernandes noted, adding that “the cost of the stall might have had something to do with that.”

The entrance of the Chennai Book Fair 2026

In Chennai, the 49th edition of the Chennai Book Fair was held from 8 to 21 January 2026, at the YMCA Grounds in Nandanam. Fernandes said he was advised to expect a large crowd and many booksellers, and found that to be accurate. He also flagged a shift in the language mix on display. “I was surprised to see the large number of English books on display,” he said, adding that it could also be because he “wasn't expecting so many”.

Fernandes also highlighted the Chennai International Book Fair as a positive development for publishers looking at rights and translation opportunities. “The Chennai International Book Fair was a pleasant surprise,” he said. While he was not participating directly in the rights trade, he felt the overall structure worked well. “The whole process seemed well arranged,” he said, adding, “We might go there again next year.”

He pointed to the scale of global participation as a key takeaway. “This year 102 countries participated,” Fernandes said, and for Indian publishers seeking international content, he believed it created a wider pipeline. “For an Indian publisher seeking to publish foreign books in translation, it opens a wide range of possibilities,” he said.

During the trip, Fernandes also participated in a PublishingNext engagement in between the two fairs. “In between, we had a terrific session while presenting the 12th edition of the Publishing Next awards,” he said.