India - Another automotive exhibition, India’s Auto Expo, has felt the brunt of the global recession and been cut to a week.
The biennial exhibition, jointly organised at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, by the Society of India Automobile Manufacturers, the Confederation of Indian Industry and the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India, is due to take place from 5 to 11 January. Its director and Auto Expo steering committee chairman, Rajive Kaul, said the 10th edition of the show has been reduced by two days.
“This has been done as a result of feedback from participants and members, and will reduce expenditure, which is important due to the economic condition,” Kaul told reporters, adding that he expected to see over 1.8m visitors during the week.
The 2010 show will see a 40 per cent increase on 2008 in the number of international exhibitors from countries such as Canada, the US, France, Pakistan and the UK.
The organiser also said that the exhibition is on the verge of being too large for the venue. “There is no space left in Pragati Maidan and it is going to be a major challenge in the future,” said Kaul. He added they are in discussions with the Indian Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) and the Commerce Ministry for other possible venues.
