It was in 2000 that I first came to know about World Expo when I was invited by the German Ministry to cover the Expo 2000 in Hannover. Spending a week, the show totally bowled me over. I was also invited to cover World Expo Dubai, UAE but due to the COVID crisis was not able to visit, but got the opportunity to visit the venue and global pavilions on my next visit to Dubai. The next World Expo is scheduled in Osaka, Kansai, Japan between 13 April and 13 October 2025 with a projected visitor count of approximately 28 million.

World Expos, officially known as International Registered Exhibitions, are a global gathering of nations dedicated to finding solutions to pressing challenges of our time. The first World Expo – the Great Exhibition – took place in London in 1851. Since the BIE was created in 1928 to regulate and oversee these mega-events, World Expos have explicitly been organised around a theme that attempts to improve humankind’s knowledge, takes into account human and social aspirations, and highlights scientific, technological, economic, and social progress.

Expo 2025 will be held on the artificial island of Yumeshima, which is in Osaka Bay, close to Universal Studios Japan and Tempozan/Osaka Aquarium. The theme of the 2025 World Expo in Osaka, Japan, is “Designing Future Society for Our Lives.” The expo’s sub-themes are “Saving Lives,” “Empowering Lives,” and “Connecting Lives.”

Expo 2025 Osaka Kansai will provide the world with an opportunity to come together in one place to explore the theme of ‘life.’ The event will share hopes for a brighter future with the world by overcoming the current global crisis, protecting people’s lives, and reflecting on life and lifestyles.

Indian Presence

With India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) as the nodal agency, India is going to participate in the World Expo 2025 in a big way. In April 2024, Pradeep Singh Kharola, CMD, ITPO and Commissioner General of India Pavilion, and H. E. Mr. Koji Haneda, Commissioner General of Expo 2025 Osaka, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, in the presence of the Ambassador of India to Japan, H. E. Mr. Sibi George, and Consul General of India in Osaka-Kobe, Nikhilesh Giri, signed the participation contract.

India’s participation in World Expo 2025 is expected to reflect India’s achievements, capabilities as well as strategic engagements with the region and the world. Expo 2025 would be a unique opportunity for India to showcase its economic and social strength, attract investments, and also form global partnerships.

Over the course of the six-month-long Expo, India would showcase its notable initiatives such as Make in India, Digital India and achievements in different sectors such as Energy, Space Technology, IT, Health and Pharmaceuticals, Tourism, Culture, Road and Railways, Infrastructure, etc.

The India Pavilion

With a plot area measuring 1,751 sq.mtrs., the India Pavilion will be located in the ‘Connecting Lives’ Sub-Theme Area. The Pavilion is a Type ‘X’ Pavilion being constructed by the Expo Authority. The built-up area of the Pavilion will be 902 sq.mtrs.

The India Pavilion will be a temporary structure, which will be dismantled after the completion of the Expo. The Government of India intends to have a strong, noticeable presence at the Expo to showcase the rapid strides undertaken by it and its varied achievements, more so in recent times.

The India Pavilion is expected to be a world-class exhibition pavilion with grandeur and excellence, complemented by modern facilities representing the spirit of this Expo. It would depict both traditional and modern India and relate these to the theme and the sub-theme while simultaneously demonstrating the peaceful coexistence of nature and developments undertaken by mankind.

There will be designated areas for the display of exhibits, including a small exhibition area which will be changed periodically according to different themes. There will also be a dedicated area for retail shops and restaurants – for all to relish Indian gastronomy.