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Union Minister of FPI, Shri Chirag Paswan inaugurated the AAHAR-2025, at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi on 4th March, 2025. While addressing the inaugural session of AAHAR-2025, Hon’ble Minister said that our vision is clear that every dining table in the world should have at least one Made-in-India food product. By expanding food processing, we can ensure Indian flavors, quality, and innovation reach every corner of the globe.
Hon’ble Minister added that the journey from AAHAR to World Food India 2025 begins today as MoFPI will host the biggest global food summit from September 25-28, 2025.
Continuing the momentum of AAHAR 2025, Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) and NIFTEM-Kundli organized a series of impactful technical sessions that brought together leading voices from government, academia, start-ups and industry to chart the future of India’s food ecosystem. Across two days of insightful discussions, experts explored innovation in food processing, machinery, packaging, safety, and regulatory frameworks.
Addressing a crucial session on “Ensuring Excellence: Food Safety, Quality, and Traceability”, Dr. Subrata Gupta, Secretary, MoFPI, stressed the urgent need to raise awareness among farmers about the dangers of chemical contaminants and their lasting health impacts. “It is imperative to educate our farmers on sustainable and responsible use of chemicals in agriculture, as this directly impacts the safety of the food we consume,” Dr. Gupta emphasized. He highlighted that while the food processing industry is rapidly adopting advanced technologies, such as rapid testing kits and digital traceability, these innovations must work in tandem with ground-level reforms to create a robust food safety ecosystem.
Commending NIFTEM-K for its leadership in driving technological progress, Dr. Gupta remarked that “NIFTEM-K is setting benchmarks in the food industry by integrating cutting-edge innovations and rigorous quality control, ensuring that Indian consumers receive safe, high-quality food products. We must continue fostering collaborations across sectors to ensure holistic growth in food safety and processing.”
Moderating the Day 2 session, Dr. Harinder Singh Oberoi, Director, NIFTEM-K, reinforced the importance of building a transparent, technology-driven food system. “The future of food safety lies in harnessing emerging technologies like Blockchain, IoT, and AI to revolutionize compliance monitoring, traceability, and quality assurance,” Dr. Oberoi remarked. He further emphasized that continuous knowledge exchange, industry collaborations, and regulatory advancements are vital to protecting public health and building consumer trust.
Key speakers across the sessions, including experts from FSSAI, CODEX, and leading food companies, shared insights on integrating rapid food testing kits, advancing analytical methods for detecting adulteration, and addressing gaps between domestic regulations and Codex international standards.
Moderated by Dr. Jagdeep Marahar, MD, Nestlé R&D Centre, the panel discussion on “Fuelling Growth: The Future of Food Startups and Innovation” offered valuable insights into the opportunities, challenges, and emerging trends shaping the industry. The discussion underscored the importance of passion-driven entrepreneurship, strategic industry collaboration, and government support in building a thriving ecosystem for food start-ups.
Parallel to these conversations, Day 1 of AAHAR 2025 set the stage with panel discussion on “Innovations in Food Processing, Machinery and Packaging” moderated by Dr. V. Palanimuthu, Director, NIFTEM-T, delved into the transformative advancements in automated food processing, smart packaging, and sustainable machinery. The panel explored how cutting-edge technologies can enhance efficiency, reduce waste, and improve food safety. Another session, chaired by Dr. Anandharamkrishnan, Director, CSIR-NIIST, Kerala, the session on “Regulatory Frameworks: Navigating Food Industry Compliance” addressed the complexities of India’s food regulatory landscape and shared strategies for effective compliance, the impact of recent policy updates, and the role of technology in simplifying regulatory processes. These sessions, featuring representatives from IIT-Guwahati, Tetra Pak, IIHR Bengaluru, FSSAI, Coca-Cola India, Marico, Sickle Innovations and others, explored the synergy of automation, sustainable packaging, and digital tools to drive efficiency and safety across the food value chain.
Key Outcomes:
• Strengthened alignment of regulatory standards with global best practices.
• Strategic focus on farmer education and sustainable practices.
• Technological integration of Block chain, AI, and IoT for real-time compliance and traceability.
• Advancement in indigenous rapid food testing solutions to reduce reliance on imported kits.
• Deeper industry-regulatory collaborations to elevate food safety benchmarks.
As AAHAR 2025 progresses, MoFPI and NIFTEM-K reaffirm their commitment to fostering innovation, ensuring food authenticity, and reinforcing India’s position as a global leader in safe and sustainable food systems.
