Mumbai is set to host the 18th edition of the Print Summit on 4 February 2026 at the Tata Theatre, NCPA, with the Bombay Master Printers’ Association (BMPA) promising another full house. The annual event, widely regarded as the country’s most influential print industry conference, will bring together thought leaders, print professionals, and suppliers for a day of discussions on business strategy, innovation, and industry transformation.
BMPA president Tushar Bhotica, speaking to Indian Printer and Publisher, said the association’s preparations for the summit began in June and have now entered the final stage. “We start work almost nine months in advance — it’s like delivering a baby, except it’s one with many fathers,” he said with a laugh. Bhotica said a 20-member organizing committee meets weekly to fine-tune everything from logistics to speaker curation.
The 2026 edition, postponed to February to avoid overlapping with PAMEX, will feature seven speakers. “It promises to be a cracker like every year,” Bhotica said. The organizers expect a repeat of the usual full-house turnout that has defined the summit in recent years.
Over nearly two decades, the BMPA Print Summit has become one of India’s most respected industry platforms — an event known for blending business insights, motivational sessions, and practical learning. The summit reflects BMPA’s ethos of giving back to the print community through initiatives that foster knowledge sharing and professional growth.
Bhotica said accessibility has improved for attendees, especially after new transport links to South Mumbai. “Reaching Nariman Point is no longer the challenge it used to be — the coastal road and metro have made it far more convenient.” He suggested that BMPA may even arrange shuttle services from nearby metro stations to the venue to encourage more printers to attend.
BMPA initiatives
Beyond the summit, BMPA has rolled out several initiatives aimed at addressing everyday operational challenges faced by printers. One of the most anticipated is Stock Laabh, a new app and website designed to help members monetise dead paper stock by buying and selling unused inventory within the BMPA network.
“Every printer has dead stock lying around — paper from cancelled orders or overproduction. Dealers don’t usually help in liquidating this,” Bhotica explained. “Through Stock Laabh, members can list their available paper stock with details such as mill, GSM, and size, and other printers can directly buy it at a negotiated rate. It’s money in hand instead of waste in storage.” The app, which carries the tagline ‘Stock se fayda’, is expected to go live before the Print Summit.
On the broader state of the industry, Bhotica discussed key challenges such as the new GST structure, paper pricing volatility, and competition pressures.
Discussing market dynamics, Bhotica said recycled board supply remains strong, with new production capacity from mills such as ITC’s Morbi units and others keeping prices stable. However, he warned that potential import restrictions and anti-dumping duties on virgin fibre boards could push prices up by ₹5-10 per kg. “On the recycled side, I don’t see major price hikes. But virgin board pricing will be a big factor next year.”
He rejected claims of large-scale surplus capacity in packaging, attributing price undercutting to “fear-driven competition” rather than oversupply. “Printers are hurting themselves by quoting without understanding their costs. It’s better to do ₹80 worth of business with ₹6 profit than ₹100 for ₹5 profit.”
Bhotica said the packaging segment continues to grow at around 10% annually, while commercial printing remains subdued. Despite these challenges, he believes the print sector’s long-term fundamentals remain strong. “The industry is safe; it’s the printer who needs to be smarter. We must know our costs, value our services, and make business decisions that ensure survival and profitability.”
As BMPA looks ahead to another landmark edition of Print Summit, Bhotica remains optimistic, “The spirit of the print fraternity is what keeps us going. Initiatives like Stock Laabh and platforms like Print Summit are our way of strengthening that community — not just for today, but for the future of Indian printing.”
