Bridging Cultures Through “The Future Of Books”

AABP: 2026 being the India-France Year of Innovation, do tell us about the vision in organising the “The Future of Books” in India in January 2026?

Grégor: The India-France Year of innovation was declared by President Macron and Prime Minister Modi for 2026 to strengthen the strategic partnership between France and India in several key domains: health, aerospace, sustainable development, cultural and creative industries. The book sector forms a major pillar of France’s ‘Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI)’, driven by proactive policies for protecting France’s diverse and resilient book ecosystem. The book industry in India is also very dynamic, driven by the educational sector and initiatives to nurture a reading culture among the youth. Yet, exchanges between our two countries are still too far and few due to lack of understanding of our publishing ecosystems. By bringing together professionals from across the industry spectrum, this major conference intends to bridge this gap.

AABP: What activities will constitute “The Future of Books”?

Grégor: The Future of Books is a 6-day traveling symposium organized by the French Institute in India, France Livres and Publishing Next, in partnership with the New Delhi World Book Fair (14-15 January), Chennai International Book Fair (16-17 January) and Jaipur Book Mark (18-19 January) and supported by the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs and the Institut français as part of the strategy for the development of French cultural and creative industries internationally.

Through panel discussions, B2B interactions, presentations, and professional visits, the programme will address a wide range of themes—from publishing policies and market structures to editorial innovation, translation ecosystems, digital developments, sustainability, and the growing role of book-to-screen adaptation.

A special issue of All About Book Publishing will accompany the conference, looking at the cultural frameworks that have shaped the French book landscape, the creative forces that drives it today and a unique collaboration with Indian professionals.

AABP: What do you hope to achieve with this cross-cultural interaction of professionals from the publishing ecosystem?

Grégor: The event is aimed at addressing a broad spectrum of innovations that have emerged in the last ten years and look at their evolutions. The French Delegation is composed of publishers, literary agents, institutional delegates and professionals who have led the transformation of the book industry into a more agile, sustainable and diverse ecosystem. Guillaume Husson, director of the Syndicat de la Librairie Française (SLF), the union representing France’s independent booksellers, will be addressing French policies that have enabled the ecosystem to thrive. Maÿlis Vauterin and Delphine Clot, Co-Founders of Matriochkas, a Paris-based creative bureau bridging the worlds of books and films, will talk about the growing market for literary adaptations. Gaëlle Bohé, the Director of Fontaine O Livres, a Paris-based organization supporting independent publishers will present the literary award and conduct workshops on the environmental challenges of publishing. New, cutting-edge publishers such as Dalva, a publishing house championing women authors or literary agencies such as Trames, will present their catalogues and their vision for the future of publishing. New formats of storytelling such as webtoon and transmedia IPs will be addressed by representatives from Akogée Studio and Media Participations.

The French Delegation also comprises of two of France’s most acclaimed writers: Marie Darrieussecq, a prominent French writer and a translator whose books have been widely translated into English and even in Malayalam; and Neige Sinno whose book Sad Tiger took France by storm in 2023 and became a global literary phenomenon. It just got released in its Indian English edition and we hope it will strike the interest of Indian languages publishers.

AABP: Do share details about the Indian participants as well?

Grégor: The event will comprise 40 speakers across 3 cities. It has been conceived as a prospective exercise to imagine what a bright future for books could look like, and what it takes to reach there. The National Book Trust, which is responsible for shaping book and educational policies in India, is an essential partner. So is the Tamil Nadu Textbook and Educational Services Corporation which is the organization behind the Chennai International Book Fair. The Jaipur Bookmark, a major publishing conclave happening side by side with the Jaipur Literature Festival, will enable participants to further deepen their understanding of the Indian book market.

The range of Indian participants will be very wide, from booksellers, policy makers, publishers, editors, translators, rights managers and industry professionals who have made a mark in the Indian publishing landscape.

AABP: What more can the French Delegates expect?

Grégor: For most of the delegates, it will be their first visit to India. The French Institute will act as a mediator to introduce them to the right people and institutions to get a fair view of the Indian market. This major event will enable them to get access to three major professional platforms located in three different parts of the country and meet all the key players in the Indian publishing industry.

AABP: What have been the major achievements of the French institute in India?

Grégor: The French Institute in India has a very dynamic Book & Debates Office which works with every segment of the book industry. We run training for translators and Publication Assistance Programs (PAP) for publishers. We also grant fellowships to publishers who attend the Paris Book Market and major French literary festivals. We create rooms for professional meetings, besides collaborating with book fairs and literary festivals. Recently, we started working with booksellers and distributors to improve procurement of French books and foster bibliodiversity.

AABP: What is your vision of the Future of Books?

Grégor: The need to tell and hear stories is inherent to humankind. Despite the advent of cinema and new forms of digital entertainment, books continue to be written, published and read because authors are great storytellers. We will witness change in consumption habits and new formats but the need for new stories will never disappear. For me, reading is the most and foremost source of great and singular pleasure.

AABP: How do you see this interaction strengthening the cultural diplomacy between the two countries?

Grégor: For the book ecosystem to thrive, we need programmes to encourage reading habits and policies to support the most fragile and vital players. My hope is that this conference will give us mutual inspiration, and that we can learn from each other’s most innovative and successful practices. This is what the India-France Year of Innovation is all about: to engage, to connect and to start new, meaningful collaborations.