The Industrial Trade Fair commenced in 1987 under the patronage of Mr. Jyoti Basu, the then Chief Minister of West Bengal. The State Government of West Bengal and the Bengal National Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BNCCI) jointly organize this fair. Since 1987 till 1999, this fair has always been held under the auspices of Mr. Basu who has always inaugurated the fair.

The Industrial India Trade Fair takes place in the heart of Calcutta, on the Maidan Ground. It has an easy access to all reputed hotels, port, airport, railway stations and other places of interest. This mega event covers an area of about 60,000 sq.mtrs.

The remarkable feature of this fair is the active participation of the SAARC members viz. Nepal, Bhutan, SriLanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Steel, petroleum, coal, telecommunication, finance and some such enterprises in the core sector under the Central Govt of India, along with some State Govt. enterprises also participate in the Fair. The Government of West Bengal erects the 'West Bengal Pavilion', which accommodates its major departments, especially those dealing with industry and infrastructure. The fair has another salient feature of inviting a foreign country to participate as a 'partner country'.

The IITF is an exhibition of multiple products/services. It offers opportunities to its participants for the display of their products/technologies/services, so as to book orders, receive valuable business information, make spot-sale as well as to assess their demand in the market while identifying and locating the prospective customers, distributors and agents. The small-scale industries make their own arrangements for exhibition. Sometimes they even display their commodities in vacant stalls, set up by the Central or State Government key agencies.

Some of the leading industries which participate in the fair are Textiles, Garments, Handicrafts, Leather Goods, Mining Equipment, Transport, Pollution Control Equipment, Engineering, Electronics, Electrical, Ceramic, Chemicals, Food Processing, Consumer Durables, Building Materials, Petro-Chemicals, Packaging-Machine etc.

The IITF offers some facilities, which are stated below –
1. Sector A: - Open Space (non commercial) – Here the participants are entitled to construct their pavilions at their own expense and design of choice. These can be used for exhibition, demonstration, booking of orders etc. However, counter-sale is not permitted here.

2. Sector B: - Here readymade booths are found. They are covered, fabricated structures constructed inside a hall. The size of each booth is 9 Sq. mtrs. The booths have wooden floors and offers basic amenities as carpeting in floor and aisles, bright lighting, identity of the company on facia-board, two rostrums, one table and a chair etc. In this sector too, exhibition, demonstration and booking of orders take place. However spot-sale is not allowed.

3. Sector C: -
a) Open Space (Commercial) – All conditions in this sector are just the same as Sector A. However, counter-sale is permitted here.
b) Covered Stall (Commercial) – Covered stalls are also available in this sector. These stalls, measuring 12 sq. mtrs. each, have similar features to those of Sector B. But counter-sale is sanctioned here.

A guidebook is circulated in the fair, which contains the names addresses and products, which are being exhibited in the fair. This Guidebook invites advertisements, which can prove to be a lucrative proposition for the advertiser.

There is a unique rapport between the buyers and sellers in this fair. Several buyer-seller meets take place for effective interaction between the buyers in the organized sector and the suppliers in the small scale and subsidiary units.

The organizers of the Fair arrange for cultural extravaganza to cater to the tastes of all types of people in the form of pure and healthy entertainment.

The outstanding participants in the Sectors A, B and C are awarded prestigious trophies in the award ceremony.

Timing: a) Business Visitors (10 A.M. - 1 P.M.) (I.I.T.F.) b) General Public (2 P.M. – 7.30 P.M.)