Convergence India is the India’s largest Information and Communication Technology (ICT) event. The event offers an ideal platform to the creators and implementers of new technologies to showcase their talent. The event also offers them a chance to form profitable partnerships and alliances. The 17th edition of the Convergence India 2009 is organized at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. The event started from March 18, 2009 and would end on March 20, 2009.

The 17th Convergence India showcases the convergence of various fields' information and communication technology, such as telecommunications, voice, data networks, fixed and mobile networks, Internet, computing, delivery of content, satellite communications, television, and entertainment applications. This three-day event provides an international platform for doing business and plays a vital role in bringing the world’s leading companies to India.

Being a media personnel, I too was interested in knowing the advancements and improvements made in this field. So, I visited the fair on the very first day. I was both amazed and delighted to see the impressive display of changing technology exhibited at the event.

The event had over 600 visitors from 30 different countries displaying their latest inventions in the field of information and communication. The exhibitors included participants from various fields, such as telecom, mobility, broadcast, cable, satellite and entertainment, information technology, information security, and ISIO Security Village Pavilion.

Latest technologies and inventions in the field of ATM services, bandwidth exchange services, broadband equipment / networks, modems and multiplexers, network management systems, power systems, CDMA / GSM / TDMA, cellular and mobile communications, Internet transmission via satellite, Wi-Fi, WiLL, CATV / CCTV, Conditional Access System, set-top boxes, E-government, Application Service Providers (ASP), banking equipment, intellectual property, Internet / Intranet security controls, intrusion detection system, virus protection, Access control system, videophones, and many other related fields were exhibited at the event.

The event attracted more than 20,000 visitors from various fields of information technology and communication. The event had professionals from advertising, BPO, defence, Department of Space, health care, information and broadcasting, printing, publishing, railways, power, radio, software production, hotel, science and technology, retail distribution, research and development, and many other sector.

The event, supported by the Department of Telecommunications and the Department of Information Technology, Ministry of Communications and IT, as well as the industry trade associations from India and overseas, has been growing consistently at a rate of 20 percent annually. The event's 16th edition had a display from 555 participants from 30 countries and attracted 17,722 trade visitors from all over the world.

The Expo provides a global platform to the domestic as well as the International industry to share and better understand new information, knowledge, and technology in the Information Communication Technology industry, making it a must visit for all.

Even amidst the ongoing global recession, the Indian economy is showing a growth trend in all major sectors. Two of the most important areas that deserve a special mention in this regard are the hospitality sector and the processed food sector. The growth and modernization of these two vital areas can translate into better future prospects for the Indian economy. It is for this very objective that India Trade Promotion Organization has come up with “AAHAR”, a fair that serves as an ideal platform for facilitating growth and modernization in these two pivotal sectors. Held at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, the fair has been a four-day affair starting from 7th March to 10th March 2009.

The main objective of “AAHAR” is to strengthen the position of the hospitality and the processed food sector in India. For this, it aims at bringing into play foreign manufacturers, distributors and suppliers alongside their domestic counterparts. As a result, you should not be surprised to find some foreign products related to the processed food sector in the exhibition. Last year, the event attracted at least 240 Indian and foreign exhibitors. This year, the number has increased by at least 20%, despite worldwide recession. The main reason for this is the potential of the Indian economy. The vastness of our economy alongside its bright prospects has attracted many foreign companies to find a market for their products here.

The fair has been successful this year as well. This is evident from the number of business visitors from both India and abroad. Last year, the number of business visitors was around 25,000. This year, the number has touched the figure of 35,000. This year, general public also showed a lot of interest in this fair.

The fair has come as a boon for all those people who are related to either the processed food industry or the hospitality sector. Whether you deal in processed food items, processing, packing and refrigeration machinery, agricultural products, hotel, or restaurant equipment, the exhibition has offered an opportunity to establish your company's presence on a global scale. You also get the golden chance of introducing your products to potential importers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, and representatives of different institutions and companies attending the show.