Quick Take
- Automation Expo 2026 runs July 22 to 25 at Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, with 700+ exhibitors.
- Organised by IED Communications Ltd., the four-day show targets plant heads, engineers, and procurement leaders.
- Highlights include a Futuristic Control Room track, an OT-Cybersecurity Workshop, and an Innovation and Startup Zone.
In This Article
Automation Expo 2026 will be held from July 22 to 25, 2026 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre (BEC) in Goregaon, Mumbai, hosting more than 700 exhibitors across four days. The event is organised by IED Communications Ltd., publisher of the Industrial Automation magazine.
The show covers industrial automation, instrumentation, robotics, and digitalisation. It brings together manufacturers, engineers, project teams, system integrators, startups, and decision-makers from India and overseas, according to the event organisers. Dr. Shrikant Patil, Chief Executive Officer of the Maharashtra State Innovation Society, will attend as the Chief Guest.
StartupFeed Insight
The real signal here is not the exhibitor count, it is the mix of tracks. A Futuristic Control Room programme plus a dedicated OT-Cybersecurity Workshop tells you where industrial spend is moving: from buying machines to securing and connecting them. Startup founders in edge computing, digital twins, and OT security should treat the Innovation and Startup Zone as a buyer room, not a demo booth, because plant heads and EPC teams design procurement at the planning stage. Expect Mumbai to keep pulling India’s industrial automation deals through 2026, with the July show setting the tone for second-half project pipelines. By Dr. Mayank Raj.
Automation Expo 2026 Event Snapshot
Automation Expo 2026 is the 19th edition of the exhibition and runs across four days at a single Mumbai venue. The show, described by organisers as India’s largest industrial automation and robotics event, is spread across Halls 2, 3, and 6 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre. Below are the confirmed details for planning your visit.
| Detail | Information | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dates | July 22 to 25, 2026 | Four days, annual event |
| Venue | Bombay Exhibition Centre (BEC), Goregaon East, Mumbai | Halls 2, 3, and 6 |
| Organiser | IED Communications Ltd. | Founded by Dr. M. Arokiaswamy |
| Exhibitors | 700+ | India and overseas |
| Chief Guest | Dr. Shrikant Patil | CEO, Maharashtra State Innovation Society |
| Entry | Free registration; open to age 18+ | Student entry only on July 25 |
Exhibitors will present process and factory automation, robotics, machine vision, control systems, sensors, Industrial IoT (Internet of Things connecting factory machines), AI, digital twins, predictive maintenance, OT (Operational Technology) cybersecurity, energy efficiency, and industrial software.
About IED Communications Ltd.
IED Communications Ltd. is a Mumbai-based media and events company founded by Dr. M. Arokiaswamy. It publishes the Industrial Automation magazine and organises Automation Expo, which the company runs as one of Asia’s largest automation exhibitions. The firm has promoted India’s automation industry for close to four decades through its magazine and exhibition properties, connecting suppliers with engineering and manufacturing buyers.
What is the Futuristic Control Room track?
The Futuristic Control Room is a dedicated three-day track running July 22, 23, and 24 on next-generation control rooms, integrated operations, and AI-led remote monitoring. It brings together plant heads, control room operators, project teams, and instrumentation engineers, according to the organisers.
For exhibitors, Automation Expo 2026 is a direct line for the people who actually make purchasing and project decisions, said organisers of the event.
The track addresses centralised monitoring, real-time decision support, digital twins, remote operations, operator effectiveness, safety, and reliability. Organisers say these topics matter more as industrial operations run larger, more complex, and interconnected assets. It is positioned as one of the few dedicated forums in India focused on the future of control room operations.
Why should founders and buyers attend?
Automation Expo 2026 is built for people who select and buy technology, not just those who read about it. Over four days, exhibitors can demonstrate live applications to plant heads, project teams, and procurement leaders from across India and overseas.
The timing matters for project teams. As new plants and expansion projects are increasingly designed with automation, digitalisation, cybersecurity, and energy efficiency built in from the start, the show gives EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) teams and consultants a chance to evaluate technologies at the planning stage. An OT-Cybersecurity Workshop on July 25 will cover practical approaches to securing DCS (Distributed Control Systems), PLC (Programmable Logic Controllers), SCADA, and other industrial control systems as factories become more connected. That single workshop is what separates a browse from a buying decision for security-focused teams.
What does the Innovation and Startup Zone offer?
The Innovation and Startup Zone is a dedicated area featuring early-stage companies building industrial technologies, shown alongside established solution providers. It sits within the wider expo floor at the Bombay Exhibition Centre.
| Zone or Track | Focus | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Innovation and Startup Zone | Early-stage industrial tech | Founders, investors |
| Futuristic Control Room | Control rooms, digital twins | Plant heads, engineers |
| OT-Cybersecurity Workshop | Securing DCS, PLC, SCADA | Project, security teams |
Visitors can also explore drives, motion control, edge computing devices, test and measurement equipment, and industrial safety systems. What makes this Zone useful is placement: startups sit on the same floor as the buyers and integrators who can turn a demo into a contract, which few standalone startup showcases offer.
What’s Next
Registration is open now, and the doors open July 22 at the Bombay Exhibition Centre. Founders in the Innovation and Startup Zone will want their pilots and case studies ready before day one, since the Futuristic Control Room sessions front-load the buyer traffic across July 22 to 24. Will Mumbai’s July show convert its foot traffic into second-half project orders? That is the number worth watching.
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