Organised by the French Institute in India in partnership with France Livres and Publishing Next, and integrated into key book platforms in New Delhi, Chennai, and Jaipur, the event marked a landmark moment in literary cooperation between the two nations under the India–France Year of Innovation 2026.
A Forum for Shared Dialogue and Collaboration
The Future of Books set out to deepen the dialogue between diverse book ecologies — bringing together authors, publishers, booksellers, translators, rights professionals, media, and cultural institutions from both countries. The initiative recognised that while India’s readership and trade publishing market is rapidly expanding, France’s publishing sector is distinguished by strong cultural policies, vibrant independent publishing, and a long history of supporting books as a public good.
Rather than a one-off conference, the event was designed as a springboard for ongoing collaboration, creating spaces where industry leaders could learn from each other’s experiences and address shared challenges such as translation, digital transformation, sustainability, and narratives crossing borders and mediums.
Multi-City Programme Highlights
Over six days (14–19 January 2026), The Future of Books was hosted across three key literary stages:
• New Delhi World Book Fair (14–15 January)
The symposium opened at the New Delhi World Book Fair with a formal inauguration attended by Dr Thierry Mathou, Ambassador of France to India, and Shri Yuvraj Malik, Director of the National Book Trust, India.
A rich programme over both days included panels on:
Books as Public Good — examining France’s model of cultural support for books.
Across Languages and Cultures — discussing the presence of foreign literature in Indian markets.
Shelf Life: Modern Bookselling — exploring what book retail looks like today.
Selling Stories Twice: Book-to-Screen Economics — spotlighting literary adaptations for film and media.
The Future of Comics — focusing on graphic storytelling and new narrative formats.
Independent Publishing and Digital Storytelling — dialogues on innovation, sustainability, and publishing in a digital-first world.
• Chennai International Book Fair (16–17 January)
The journey continued to Chennai, where discussions deepened around emerging themes and local contexts, building bridges between southern India’s publishing scenes and global currents.
• Jaipur Bookmark at Jaipur Literature Festival (18 January)
In Jaipur, panels such as The French Connection and Re-imagining Narratives brought lively exchanges between Indian and French publishing minds, foregrounding how stories evolve across cultures.
A Distinguished Lineup of Speakers
The event featured over 40 speakers from both Indian and French publishing landscapes — from editors and translators to rights managers and storytellers. On the French side, participants included directors of independent publishing organisations, rights agents, and creators working at the intersection of books and audiovisual formats. Indian speakers included leading publishing executives, booksellers, translators, critics, and content strategists, all offering diverse perspectives on how stories are made, shared, and sustained.
Notable topics ranged from foreign literature in India, independent publishing practices, digital transformation of books, to sustainability within publishing, reflecting the many challenges and opportunities facing the industry as it evolves.
Towards a Shared Literary Future
Beyond seminars and panels, The Future of Books stood as a symbol of cultural diplomacy, recognising that books are more than products — they are vectors of ideas, empathy, and connection. By bringing Indian and French professionals together for structured conversations, professional networking, and long-term partnership building, the initiative aimed to catalyse new collaborations that extend well beyond 2026.
The symposium also underscored the enduring value of reading and storytelling in an age of rapid technological and cultural shifts, celebrating both tradition and innovation within the global book ecosystem.
