First-of-its-kind B2B event aims to connect Indian manufacturers with American buyers, create opportunities for local entrepreneurs and attract new investment to Georgia.
BY VEENA RAO
ATLANTA, GA, November 6, 2026: What if an American manufacturer looking for a reliable supplier in India could meet dozens of potential partners without ever boarding a plane? And what if those meetings could eventually lead to Indian companies opening factories, warehouses and offices in Georgia, creating jobs and new business opportunities?
That is the vision behind the Atlanta India Trade Fair (AITF) 2026, scheduled for November 18–20 at the Georgia International Convention Center in College Park.
Organized by the Georgia Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (GIACC), the three-day event will bring together 42 exhibitors, primarily Indian manufacturers of industrial products, engineering components, machinery and manufacturing-related services, with American buyers, distributors, investors and entrepreneurs.
Unlike the familiar Indian exhibitions featuring jewelry, clothing, handicrafts and consumer products, this trade fair is strictly business-to-business.
“Nothing is being sold that you can buy and take home,” said SK Raj, chair of the GIACC Atlanta Trade Event (GATE) and a former chairman and president of GIACC, in an interview with NRI Pulse. “It’s all manufacturing, hardcore engineering products that require a lengthy process of both companies coming together, understanding each other’s capabilities, designing together, doing prototyping, and then manufacturing.”
The fair is supported by the Consulate General of India in Atlanta, the Coimbatore District Small Industries Association (CODISSIA), the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, Fulton County, the City of College Park and the Georgia Automotive Manufacturers Association.
According to Raj, AITF is possibly the first U.S. trade fair focused exclusively on Indian industrial manufacturers.
But the ambition extends well beyond a three-day exhibition. GIACC wants to turn business introductions into actual contracts, investments and jobs.
From networking to millions in potential investment
The trade fair grew out of GIACC’s GATE initiative, launched in 2022 to strengthen business ties between Georgia and India. Raj wanted these efforts to lead to real business deals and investments, rather than just meetings and visits. GIACC began bringing Indian business owners and company leaders to Georgia and introducing them to government officials and local professionals who could help them set up businesses here.
The results, according to Raj, are beginning to materialize.
Thirteen Indian companies have incorporated businesses in Georgia, with another five in the process. Four additional investment projects, representing a potential combined investment of $171 million and an estimated 350 high-skill jobs in their first year, are in advanced stages of site selection, according to GIACC.
GIACC’s assistance has ranged from helping foreign companies open American bank accounts to finding offices, warehouses and manufacturing sites.
Raj emphasized that the goal is not simply to encourage Indian companies to export more products to America.
“We are not doing this just to promote India. We are doing this to promote Georgia,” he said.
He wants Indian manufacturers to meet potential customers here, recognize the size of the American market and consider establishing their own operations in the state.
Why India, and why now?
The fair comes at a time when American businesses are reconsidering their global supply chains amid shifting tariffs, geopolitical tensions and uncertainty surrounding international trade.
For decades, China has dominated the outsourcing conversation. Raj believes India has an opportunity to emerge as a major alternative.
India offers compelling advantages over China, Raj said. Among them are a large skilled workforce, widespread use of English in business, substantial engineering talent and a growing domestic consumer market.
Raj said manufacturers he works with through his own engineering services company are increasingly asking about sourcing from India.
The problem, he explained, is that many American companies do not know where to begin.
India is a vast country with thousands of manufacturers. Identifying a reliable supplier, evaluating production capabilities, understanding quality standards and navigating shipping and customs requirements can be daunting, particularly for smaller American businesses.
AITF is designed to simplify that process by bringing manufacturers directly to American buyers.
And while unpredictable tariffs might seem like a reason to postpone a trade fair, Raj sees the uncertainty as an opportunity.
“When everything is going well, nobody wants change,” he said. “Right now, people are open to ideas.”
Companies facing rising costs and supply chain disruptions, he argued, are more willing to explore alternatives than businesses operating comfortably with established suppliers.
From auto parts to industrial cranes
The 42 exhibitors represent a broad range of industries, including automotive components, engineering, electronics, industrial machinery and manufacturing technology.
Beyond showcasing their products and capabilities, many participating Indian companies are looking to establish business relationships in the United States. For American buyers, the fair offers an opportunity to explore new suppliers, while local entrepreneurs can connect with manufacturers seeking distributors, sales representatives and business partners.
The fair will also feature four free, expert-led breakout sessions designed to help American businesses navigate sourcing from India. Topics will include finding reliable suppliers, managing shipping and logistics, ensuring product quality, and understanding tariffs and import regulations.
Representatives of the Indian government are expected to address two topics, “Why Source from India?” and “Why Make in India?”, highlighting India’s manufacturing capabilities and opportunities for investment.
Opportunities for Atlanta’s small business owners
Raj stressed that the event is also relevant to local entrepreneurs, professionals and small business owners.
In fact, many of the Indian exhibitors are small and medium-sized enterprises looking for their first foothold in the American market.
That creates opportunities for Georgia businesses to become their local representatives, distributors, sales agents or joint venture partners.
It also opens doors for service providers.
An Indian manufacturer establishing a U.S. presence may need accounting and legal assistance, commercial real estate services, warehousing, logistics, staffing, human resources support or help managing day-to-day operations.
“Absolutely, they should come and meet these manufacturers,” Raj said when asked whether small business owners could benefit. “They’d be happy to meet them, and they want to meet such people.”
Some exhibitors, he said, are already looking for local representatives and business partners. Others plan to remain in Georgia after the fair to visit potential offices, warehouses and manufacturing locations.
For Indian American entrepreneurs familiar with both markets, the event could offer a particularly useful opportunity to build business relationships.
Can manufacturing in America compete on cost?
One of Raj’s more surprising arguments is that manufacturing in the United States may not always be significantly more expensive than manufacturing in India.
He cited the experience of Roots Industries, an Indian automotive components manufacturer that expanded its operations in the United States.
According to Raj, the company’s leadership found that a comparable manufacturing operation in America could produce similar output with substantially fewer employees because of differences in productivity, automation and work organization.
When workforce training assistance and government incentives were factored in, the company found its manufacturing economics in the two countries to be comparable, he said.
Raj believes examples like this can encourage Indian companies to consider manufacturing in Georgia rather than serving American customers exclusively through exports.
The larger objective, he said, is to create a two-way business relationship in which American companies gain access to Indian manufacturing expertise while Georgia benefits from new investment and employment.
A gateway between India and Georgia
With dozens of manufacturers arriving from India, American businesses exploring new suppliers, and local entrepreneurs looking for opportunities, Raj hopes the conversations that begin in College Park will lead to partnerships that last for years.
The Atlanta India Trade Fair 2026 will be held November 18–20 at Hall D, Georgia International Convention Center, College Park, Georgia. The event will feature industrial exhibits, business networking opportunities and educational breakout sessions.
For exhibitor information, the event schedule and participation details, visit the Atlanta India Trade Fair website.
