Exhibitions
The platform that unites the two cities offers solutions dedicated to the professional public of the Salone del Mobile: a high-speed rail connection and selected hotel accommodation
The Salone del Mobile returns to India: from Delhi to Mumbai, fostering art, contract furniture and new perspectives in design
Text by
Salone del Mobile.Milano Networking Dinner, The Leela Palace, Grand Ballroom, Chanakyapuri, Diplomatic Enclave, New Delhi
From cultural dialogue at the India Art Fair in New Delhi to the launch of Salone Contract in dynamic Mumbai: a journey to strengthen relationships, knowledge and visions
The Salone del Mobile has returned to India for the third year running, confirming its well-established and strategic presence in one of the most dynamic contexts on the global creative scene. This year, the delegation made its first stop in New Delhi, at the heart of the India Art Fair – an event that brings the world of design and art together every year, involving professionals from different sectors – before travelling to Mumbai, the financial capital and a constantly-changing urban hub. The trip took place in the run-up to the upcoming edition, underscoring the fact that India now ranks tenth among the 160 countries of origin of visitors to the Salone, and that Italy is the second highest EU country in terms of furniture exports to India, with a positive trade balance.
The days in the capital were marked by clear skies and a packed schedule of events. At the fair, the Salone del Mobile team reconnected with faces already encountered at previous editions, whilst also forging new relationships, furthering the research and understanding of the country that never stops, but deepens year by year.
One of the key moments was the networking dinner on 6th February, during which Annalisa Rosso, Editorial Director and Cultural Events Advisor of Salone del Mobile.Milano, and Alessandro Rossi, Sales & New Business Development Manager of Salone del Mobile.Milano, presented a preview of the next edition of the event. The event was attended by Antonio Bartoli, the Italian Ambassador to India and Nepal. Despite a city calendar already packed with high-profile events, the evening exceeded all expectations in terms of attendance and the calibre of the participants, who included artists such as Paresh Maity and designer and content creator Ridhi Khosla Jalan, along with leading gallery owners, brands and collectors.
The following day, Annalisa Rosso was a guest at the India Art Fair for the talk Next Design Perspectives between Milan and New Delhi, along with Andrea Anastasio, Director of the Italian Cultural Institute in New Delhi, Greg Foster, Artistic Director of Jaipur Rugs and the Aspura gallery, and Gunjan Gupta, designer and cultural author, one of the most influential figures in contemporary Indian design – moderated by Ms Rosso. Chairs, poufs and armchairs were all taken, as the audience listened intently to a conversation that touched on profound themes, such as artisan memory, craftsmanship and the historic ties that unite post-war Italy – with its creative vitality and its masters – to the cultural and productive ferment that India is currently experiencing. Within the context of the India Art Fair, the country's leading art fair, which for the last few years has included a section dedicated to collectible design, the Salone del Mobile also presented Salone Raritas, a new curatorial platform dedicated to unique pieces, limited editions, high craftsmanship and sought-after design, which will debut at the 64th edition of the trade fair.
Salone del Mobile.Milano meets New Delhi | Networking Dinner, The Leela Palace, Grand Ballroom, Chanakyapuri, Diplomatic Enclave, New Delhi
Salone del Mobile.Milano meets New Delhi | Networking Dinner. Annalisa Rosso, Editorial Director and Cultural Events Advisor, Salone del Mobile.Milano
Salone del Mobile.Milano meets New Delhi | Networking Dinner. Alessandro Rossi, Sales & New Business Development Manager, Salone del Mobile.Milano
Next Design Perspectives between Milan and New Delhi, Salone del Mobile.Milano Talk, India Art Fair, New Delhi
From left: Annalisa Rosso, Editorial Director and Cultural Events Advisor Salone del Mobile.Milano; Greg Foster, Artistic Director, Jaipur Rugs and Aspura; Gunjan Gupta, Designer & Cultural Auteur; Andrea Anastasio, Director, Italian Cultural Institute New Delhi
From left: Annalisa Rosso, Editorial Director and Cultural Events Advisor Salone del Mobile.Milano; Greg Foster, Direttore Artistico di Jaipur Rugs e della galleria Aspura
From left: Andrea Vaiani, Exhibitions Director Salone del Mobile.Milano; Antonietta Baccanari, Italian Trade Commissioner, Italian Trade Agency; Walter Ferrara, Consul General of Italy in Mumbai; Alessandro Giuliani, Managing Director, Bocconi Asia & President, Indo-Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Alessandro Rossi, Sales & New Business Development Manager, Salone del Mobile.Milano
Shaping Luxury Spaces. Italian Design for India’s Real Estate & Hospitality Market, Salone del Mobile.Milano Presentation, Zenith Ballroom, St Regis Hotel, Mumbai
From left: Anca Florescu Abraham, Interior & Landscape, Designer, Co-Principal, Abraham John Architects; Federico Fraternale, Co-Founder & Head of Design, Tarocollective; Ekta Parekh, Founder Partner, reD Architects, Research and Enquiry into Design; Sanjay Puri, Principal Architect, Sanjay Puri Architects; Alessandro Giuliani, Managing Director, Bocconi Asia & President, Indo-Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
From Delhi, the Salone del Mobile delegation moved on to Mumbai, a city that symbolises India's economic dynamism. Here, the skyline is undergoing constant change, and the background noise is no longer just that of yellow and black taxis, but above all that of construction sites: cranes, scaffolding, new residential towers and hotel complexes that are reshaping the face of the metropolis.
On 10th February, in the so-called Maximum City, where real estate is currently experiencing a particularly positive period, the Salone del Mobile organised an event dedicated to the world of contract furniture for architects, developers, dealers and designers involved in major urban projects: Shaping Luxury Spaces: Italian Design for India's Real Estate & Hospitality Market, an opportunity to present Salone Contract. The event opened with institutional greetings from Walter Ferrara, Consul General of Italy in Mumbai, and Antonietta Baccanari, Director of the Trade Promotion Office of the Italian Embassy in New Delhi, followed by a preview of the upcoming edition of the trade fair. In particular, Andrea Vaiani, Exhibitions Director at the Salone del Mobile.Milano, presented Salone Contract to a large audience, a design and market platform that will debut in April to meet the needs of industry professionals by offering guidance, networking and international positioning tools with in-depth courses, thematic forums and a structured programme for international incoming delegates.
This was followed by the panel discussion From Heritage to High-End: Made in Italy Furniture for India's Luxury Projects, featuring Anca Florescu Abraham, Interior & Landscape Designer, Co-Principal of Abraham John Architects; Federico Fraternale, designer and co-founder of Tarocollective; Ekta Parekh, architect and Founding Partner of reD Architects – Research and Enquiry into Design; and Sanjay Puri, Principal Architect of Sanjay Puri Architects. Moderated by Alessandro Giuliani, Managing Director of Bocconi Asia and President of the Indo-Italian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the four leading figures on the national scene showed how the energy of the Salone del Mobile pavilions enables ideas to travel from Milan to become concrete projects in India, a meeting point for Italian aesthetics and Indian culture. There was a strong sense of how working with Salone del Mobile brands – always attentive to quality, sustainability and durability – makes it possible today to integrate environmental awareness into luxury projects without sacrificing ambition or aesthetic value. Great focus was also brought to bear on the theme of craftsmanship, an element that deeply unites Italy and India, on the need to foster identity in design diversity, and on the growing trend in India of including pieces ranging from contemporary to antique in contract projects – both in luxury residences and in hospitality. This trend resonates powerfully with the launch of Salone Raritas.
The journey culminated in one great certainty: design continues to travel between Milan and India, as a shared language and a common future.
12 February 2026
Share
