Soundscapes of India Season 3 Brings 150+ Artists And Global Music Delegates Together In New Delhi

New Delhi, 10^th September 2026: Soundscapes of India (SOI) Season 3 concluded in New Delhi after three days of music showcases, industry conversations, workshops, pitching sessions and networking, bringing together more than 150 artists from over 15 Indian states and international delegates from more than 20 countries. Held from August 29 to 31 at the Dr Ambedkar International Centre, the third edition of the showcase festival and global music exchange was organised by The Indian Performing Right Society Ltd (IPRS) in association with MusiConnect India. With a focus on taking Indian music to wider global audiences, SOI 2026 created a space where artists, curators, festival programmers, industry professionals and policy voices could engage around the future of India’s music ecosystem.

A key focus of Soundscapes of India Season 3 was the growing potential of Indian music as an export category. Conference sessions explored cultural export, India’s global music presence, international festival partnerships, cultural diplomacy, music tourism and the festival economy, while country-focused discussions looked at the UK live music industry and export lessons from Africa. Workshops further addressed export-readiness, grant and residency applications, artist branding and how international festival programmers discover and book talent. One-on-one pitching sessions connected Indian artists with programmers, bookers, agents, labels, publishers and talent managers from markets including the UK, Australia, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Japan, Nepal and Africa, with participants also being introduced to international platforms such as Fuji Rock Festival, SXSW, The Great Escape, WOMEX and Hong Kong Arts Festival.

The festival’s three-night music showcases reflected the breadth of India’s musical landscape, moving across classical, folk, tribal, Hindustani and Carnatic traditions, pop, rock and fusion. Artists and collectives from regions including Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Barmer, Ladakh and Assam were represented alongside international performers from Egypt, Indonesia, Nepal and the UK. The closing day also featured Journey Through the Living Roots, a curated presentation bringing musicians from four indigenous communities, the Jenu Kuruba of Coorg, the Ho of Jharkhand’s Kolhan region, the Koch-Rajbanshi of North Bengal and the Chakhesang Naga of Nagaland, to the SOI stage. The presentation highlighted these traditions as living musical practices, combining oral traditions, handcrafted instruments and storytelling rather than treating them simply as archival culture. Now in its third year, Soundscapes of India has expanded beyond the traditional showcase-festival format to become a platform for music discovery, exchange and international connection.

At the centre of SOI’s vision is the #JoyofDiscovery, focused on creating opportunities for new sounds, new talent, collaborations and greater access to international touring and festival circuits. The initiative builds on the journey of previous participants who have gone on to perform at festivals including Fuji Rock Festival in Japan, Rainforest World Music Festival in Malaysia, Sziget Festival in Hungary and the Gwangju Busking World Cup in South Korea. With its combination of live performances, industry access and global networking, SOI Season 3 underlined the growing ambition to connect India’s diverse musical voices with audiences and opportunities beyond the country.