India is set to pitch its diverse rice varieties in 26 countries, including Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and Mexico, as part of a strategy to expand exports worth ₹1.8 trillion. According to Dev Garg, Vice-President of the Indian Rice Exporters Federation (IREF), these markets currently rely heavily on suppliers like Pakistan and Thailand.
The Bharat International Rice Conference (BIRC) 2025, to be held in New Delhi on October 30–31, will serve as the launchpad for this expansion. Organised by IREF in collaboration with the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), the event will convene stakeholders from over 172 rice-importing nations.
India, one of the world’s top rice producers, harvested about 150 million tonnes in FY25 from 47 million hectares, contributing 28% of global output. Exports stood at 20.1 million tonnes, valued at $12.95 billion.
APEDA Chairman Abhishek Dev confirmed participation from ministers of the Philippines, Ghana, Namibia, and Gambia. BIRC 2025 will focus on sustainability, innovation, and transparent trade practices — aligning with the Viksit Bharat @2047 vision to reinforce India’s leadership in global food supply chains.