Messe Muenchen India has acquired the India International Cargo Show (IICS) from Upstream Business Solutions LLP, bringing the established cargo and freight industry platform into its expanding logistics trade-fair portfolio. The acquisition is expected to create a broader and more connected business ecosystem covering cargo movement, handling, storage and management across air, sea, rail and road transportation. Messe Muenchen India will work closely with Upstream Business Solutions to develop future editions of IICS while maintaining the platform’s established industry relationships and character.
The 2025 edition of IICS attracted more than 25,000 trade visitors from over 80 countries and featured more than 200 exhibiting brands across more than 15,000 square metres of exhibition space. Over four years, the event has developed into a specialised business platform serving freight forwarders, airlines, shipping lines, ports, terminals, warehousing and cold-chain operators, express logistics providers, cargo-handling companies and logistics technology businesses.
With IICS joining Messe Muenchen India’s portfolio, the company will bring together India International Cargo Show, transport logistic India, air cargo India and the forthcoming project cargo India. The combined portfolio is designed to connect businesses across multiple segments of the logistics value chain while allowing each event to retain its specific sector focus and industry community.
Bhupinder Singh, President IMEA, Messe München and CEO, Messe Muenchen India, said IICS has developed strong relationships across India’s cargo and freight-forwarding industry. He said integrating the event into the company’s portfolio would allow exhibitors, visitors, associations and industry partners to engage with a wider section of the logistics value chain through coordinated but complementary platforms.
The acquisition comes as India’s expanding international trade places increasing demands on freight, cargo and supply-chain infrastructure. Data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry on April 15, 2026, showed that India’s merchandise exports reached US$441.78 billion in FY2025-26, while imports stood at US$774.98 billion, taking combined merchandise trade to approximately US$1.22 trillion.
Stefan Rummel, CEO, Messe München, said India is central to the future of global trade and logistics and that the acquisition demonstrates the group’s long-term commitment to the market. He said combining IICS’s local reach in freight forwarding and multimodal cargo with the international transport logistic network would create a connected platform for customers, partners and the wider logistics industry.
The expanded Indian portfolio will form part of Messe München’s international transport logistic network, which includes events across China, India, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Türkiye and the United States, in addition to the flagship event in Munich. Transport logistic India and air cargo India were held in Mumbai in February 2026, while project cargo India is scheduled to debut in 2027. Each event will continue to focus on its respective sector while operating within the broader coordinated portfolio.
Mohit Mewani, Founder and CEO, Upstream Business Solutions LLP, said IICS would retain its established industry character, exhibitor commitments and relationships while gaining access to the international reach and resources of the Messe München network. The 2026 edition of India International Cargo Show will be held as scheduled from December 2 to 4, 2026, at Jio World Convention Centre, Bandra Kurla Complex, Mumbai.
Founded in 2007 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Messe München GmbH, Messe Muenchen India is one of India’s leading organisers of B2B trade fairs. The company manages a growing portfolio of more than 25 large-scale trade fairs across a wide range of industries.
Its exhibitions cover sectors including electronics and electronic production, construction machinery, environmental technologies, laboratory and analytical technology, pharmaceutical processing and packaging, beverage, dairy and liquid-food processing, transport and logistics, and renewable energy. Messe Muenchen India’s portfolio includes major industry platforms such as electronica India, productronica India, bauma CONEXPO India, IFAT India, analytica Lab India, drinktec India and The smarter E India. Through these trade fairs, the company brings together businesses, industry professionals and technology providers to support innovation, business development and industry networking across India.
