Bharat International Rice Conference (BIRC) 2025 — A milestone for India’s rice diplomacy and exports

India will host the Bharat International Rice Conference (BIRC) 2025 — a two-day, high-profile global gathering focused exclusively on rice — at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi on 30–31 October 2025. The conference, organized by the Indian Rice Exporters’ Federation (IREF) in collaboration with the Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) and supported by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, is being positioned as the world’s largest rice industry event and a major platform to advance India’s food-security diplomacy and export growth.

Purpose & significance

BIRC 2025 is conceived as more than a trade show: it is a strategic convening of public- and private-sector stakeholders across the rice value chain — producers, millers, exporters, importers, buyers, policy makers, logistics providers, technology suppliers, and international development agencies. The conference aims to:

• Showcase India’s full rice portfolio (Basmati, non-Basmati long-grain, parboiled, broken rice, value-added/fortified rice).

• Re-establish buyer-seller linkages after recent export curbs and market dislocations and accelerate contract trade and long-term supply agreements.

• Highlight innovations in seed genetics, sustainable production, mechanization, milling, quality control and traceability to meet quality and food-safety requirements of importers.

Scale, format & expected participants

Organizers expect a large international turnout: exhibition space showcasing exporters and allied services, structured B2B and B2G meetings, technical sessions, and policy roundtables. Official invitations and promotional material estimate attendance from 100+ countries, participation of over 1,000 international rice importers, and several thousand stakeholders (exhibitors, delegations, service providers). The venue — Bharat Mandapam — is a modern convention complex within Pragati Maidan capable of hosting conferences and exhibitions at this scale.

Key organizers and leadership

The Indian Rice Exporters’ Federation (IREF) is the primary industry organizer, partnering with APEDA (the nodal export promotion authority under the Commerce Ministry). IREF’s national leadership, including President Dr. Prem Garg, has been active in mobilizing industry and government support for BIRC 2025; IREF leaders have highlighted the event’s role in strengthening India’s position as a dependable global rice supplier. The Ministry of Commerce & Industry and other government agencies are involved in outreach, regulatory facilitation and buyer delegation support.

Why BIRC matters for India’s rice sector

India is already the dominant player in global rice trade and BIRC 2025 comes at a pivotal time. After temporary export curbs and market adjustments in 2023–24, India’s role is again expanding — with government stocks high and export restrictions largely eased — creating an opportunity to regain market share and stabilize international supplies. A central, India-hosted conference focused on rice will help coordinate trade policy, market access efforts, private contracting, and technical upgrades needed for sustained growth.

India’s export footprint — market share and composition

India has consistently accounted for around 35–40% (and at times higher) of global rice exports in recent years, making it the single largest rice exporter by volume and value. In FY 2024–25 India’s rice exports rebounded strongly after restrictions were eased, and estimates point to a material recovery in volumes and value as India resumed normal trade flows.

Basmati rice

• India is the world’s largest exporter of Basmati rice by value; FY 2024–25 figures show Basmati exports in the multi-billion-dollar range (reported values vary by source and exchange rate), with Middle Eastern countries (Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Yemen) forming the core market for premium Basmati. The United States, UK and other diaspora markets are also important buyers of packaged/retail Basmati.

Non-Basmati rice

• Non-Basmati (including white non-Basmati long-grain, parboiled and broken rice) is exported at large volumes to African countries (West and East Africa in particular), Southeast Asia, Bangladesh and neighboring states where rice is a staple and used for price-sensitive demand and food security programmers. Countries such as Benin and other West African importers were singled out during the market disruption period as major recipients of India’s non-Basmati shipments.

Expected outcomes & practical opportunities

BIRC 2025 aims to produce tangible results: trade contracts and Mou's between exporters and institutional buyers, clearer export-compliance roadmaps for quality/traceability, public-private action plans for logistics and cold-chain constraints, and technical cooperation on productivity and sustainability. For Indian exporters, the event offers concentrated access to buyers, risk-diversification opportunities and a forum to address non-tariff barriers. For importing nations, the conference offers a chance to secure reliable rice supplies and engage directly with Indian producers and policy makers.

Practical information (at a glance)

• Event: Bharat International Rice Conference (BIRC) 2025

• Dates: 30–31 October 2025.

• Venue: Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.

• Organizer's: Indian Rice Exporters’ Federation (IREF) in collaboration with APEDA and supported by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry.