The London Book Fair and British Council have announced that India will be the Market Focus country in 2009, and South Africa in 2010. This follows from the huge success of the Arab World as Market Focus in 2008.

The London Book Fair Market Focus is an important opportunity for UK and international publishers to liaise with their foreign counterparts, seek out and capitalise on new business partnerships in countries with strong publishing industries. The biggest opportunity it presents is to enable local publishers to promote their companies to the international arena. Market Focus also helps international publishers better understand how different markets operate, and offers an opportunity to identify fresh and exciting new authors not yet published in English or other languages.

Both India and South Africa are big markets for English language books, yet both function quite differently and each presents its own set of challenges. Both countries use many different languages in commerce and literature, so understanding linguistic and cultural diversity is essential to understand both markets. Both India and South Africa host emerging and important book fairs.

A series of activities leading up to each Market Focus programme will be unveiled in the run up to next year’s Fair, and the seminar programme for India will be announced early 2009. Following the success of the Arab World Market Focus 2008 the UK’s international cultural relations body, British Council, will once again partner with The London Book Fair on the cultural programme.

India 2009
The partners for the India Market Focus will be Capexil (a non-profit organisation designed to promote Indian exports) and the Federation of Indian Publishers (FIP). The theme will be “India Through Fresh Eyes” and the programme will cover linguistic, economic, geographic and demographic issues. Writers featured will range from young to old, from established to debut novelists. Publishers and printers will be based throughout the hall as well as on the official pavilion. A professional programme will be run, aimed at providing Indian publishers and printers with publishing training, as well as matchmaking opportunities to grow their business.