The Indian Foundation for Quality Management (IFQM) will host the third edition of its National Symposium on 5-6 October 2026 at Taj Palace, New Delhi, bringing together more than 300 CEOs and CXOs, global quality experts, policymakers and academia.

Themed ‘Quality, Innovation and Excellence - Be the Force Multiplier’, the two-day symposium will focus on strengthening quality and innovation across Indian industry as the country seeks to build a more credible and competitive global manufacturing presence.

The 2026 edition will feature more than 25 sessions, including keynote addresses, fireside conversations, sector-focused discussions and thematic tracks covering automotive, engineering, aerospace, electronics, textiles, leather and artificial intelligence in manufacturing. More than 50 academic leaders and students are also expected to participate.

For the first time, the symposium will introduce dedicated discussions on Pharma and Life Sciences and Infrastructure. The pharma session will focus on India's transition beyond generics towards innovative medicines, with participation from Dilip Sanghvi, Founder and Managing Director, Sun Pharmaceuticals; Dr Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Executive Chairperson, Biocon Group; and Glenn Saldanha, Chairman and Managing Director, Glenmark.

The infrastructure track will examine how India can strengthen quality and execution standards to achieve global leadership, with S.N. Subrahmanyan, Chairman and Managing Director, Larsen & Toubro, among the prominent industry leaders participating.

Other Indian business leaders expected at the symposium include Venu Srinivasan, Chairman Emeritus, TVS Motor and Chairman, IFQM; N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons; TV Narendran, CEO and Managing Director, Tata Steel; Dr Randhir Thakur, CEO and Managing Director, Tata Electronics; K.N. Radhakrishnan, Director and CEO, TVS Motor Company; Salil Gupte, President, Boeing India and South Asia; and Hari Marar, Managing Director and CEO, Bangalore International Airport.

The event will also feature global speakers including EuiSung (Ernie) Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Quality, Hyundai Motor Group; Dr Masahiko Mori, President, DMG MORI; Stefan Grosch, Global Board Member, Robert Bosch GmbH; Yugo Miyamoto of Kaizen Saudi Arabia, Abdul Latif Jameel Company; Akinori Onodera, President, Earth Brain, JV Komatsu Group; and China expert and author Frank Sieren.

Key discussions will cover quality as a national force multiplier, sustainable competitive advantage, boardroom-to-shopfloor quality leadership, smart construction, global credibility, large-scale Kaizen implementation and execution excellence.

Panel discussions will also address India's potential as a trusted global electronics hub, AI deployment across manufacturing and services, measurable quality improvement across sectors and strategies for scaling Indian enterprises towards global leadership.

Soumitra Bhattacharya, CEO and Director, IFQM, said the symposium aims to strengthen collaboration between industry, government and academia while encouraging measurable improvements in quality and innovation across organisations.

The IFQM National Symposium was launched in 2024 with discussions across automotive, engineering, aerospace, defence, electronics and digital engineering R&D. The 2026 edition expands the sectoral scope further, with pharma, life sciences and infrastructure emerging as key areas of focus.