The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) is set to host PUBLICON 2026 on August 11 at its Federation House in New Delhi. The event carries the focused theme “Copyright, Research Integrity & Publishing in the AI Era.” It will convene policymakers, academic publishers, researchers, university leaders, legal experts and technology providers to examine how artificial intelligence is reshaping scholarly communication while protecting core principles of credibility and trust.
Indian higher education institutions stand at the centre of these conversations. With the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 pushing for greater research output, internationalisation and multidisciplinary programmes, universities and colleges across the country are producing more journal articles, books and preprints than ever before. The rise of generative AI tools has introduced both opportunities for faster literature reviews and risks around originality, attribution and data integrity.
Why PUBLICON 2026 Matters for Indian Academia
India’s research ecosystem has grown rapidly. The University Grants Commission (UGC) and the Ministry of Education have emphasised quality publications as a key metric in faculty promotions and institutional rankings under the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF). At the same time, Indian researchers increasingly publish in international journals indexed in Scopus and Web of Science. This growth brings new responsibilities around copyright compliance and research ethics.
FICCI’s PUBLICON series has historically served as a bridge between industry and academia. The 2026 edition builds on that legacy by placing AI-driven publishing challenges front and centre. Participants will explore how Indian universities can adopt responsible AI practices without compromising academic freedom or intellectual property rights.
Key Themes on the Agenda
The conference will structure discussions around five interconnected pillars. First, copyright and intellectual property in the new publishing landscape will address how Indian authors and institutions navigate licensing, fair use equivalents under Indian law and emerging global standards. Second, research integrity sessions will focus on safeguarding scholarly publishing against paper mills, image manipulation and undisclosed AI assistance.
Emerging technologies and the future of publishing will examine tools for plagiarism detection, automated peer review and metadata management. The future of scholarly communication will look at open-access models, preprint servers and diamond open-access initiatives gaining traction in Indian institutions. Finally, building a sustainable and future-ready publishing ecosystem will consider business models that support both commercial publishers and university presses.
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash
Implications for Indian Universities and Researchers
Faculty members and early-career researchers at institutions such as the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) and central universities will find direct relevance. Many universities are updating their research ethics policies to require disclosure of AI use in manuscript preparation. PUBLICON 2026 is expected to provide model guidelines that institutions can adapt locally.
PhD scholars and postdoctoral researchers, who often face pressure to publish in high-impact journals, stand to benefit from clearer frameworks on authorship and originality. The event will also highlight how Indian publishers and university libraries can collaborate on licensing agreements that protect both creators and users of AI-generated content.
Stakeholder Perspectives
Publishers attending the conference will share experiences with AI-assisted editing tools and the challenges of maintaining editorial standards. University administrators will discuss how to align institutional policies with the UGC’s evolving guidelines on research integrity. Legal experts will clarify the interplay between the Copyright Act, 1957 and new AI-related questions around training data and derivative works.
Technology providers are expected to demonstrate platforms that help Indian researchers maintain compliance while accelerating their workflows. International speakers will bring comparative insights from Europe’s AI Act and recent policy developments in the United States and United Kingdom.
Challenges and Practical Solutions
One persistent challenge is the uneven adoption of research integrity tools across public and private universities. Smaller colleges often lack access to expensive plagiarism-detection software or training programmes. PUBLICON 2026 aims to showcase affordable, scalable solutions and public-private partnerships that can bridge this gap.
Another issue is the rapid evolution of AI capabilities. Policies written today may need revision within months. The conference will encourage the creation of living guidelines that Indian higher education institutions can update regularly through FICCI-facilitated working groups.
Future Outlook for Scholarly Publishing in India
By 2030, India aims to rank among the top five countries in research output. Achieving this goal while preserving trust in published work will require coordinated action across government, academia and industry. PUBLICON 2026 is positioned as a catalyst for that coordination.
Participants will leave with actionable recommendations on policy advocacy, capacity building and technology adoption. These outputs are expected to feed into broader national dialogues on the National Research Foundation and updates to the NEP implementation roadmap.
Actionable Insights for Academics and Administrators
University leaders are advised to review their current research ethics policies ahead of the event and identify gaps related to AI disclosure. Researchers should familiarise themselves with emerging best practices on authorship and data provenance. Librarians and research office staff can prepare to pilot new tools showcased at the conference.
Early registration and participation in FICCI’s working groups will allow Indian institutions to shape the outcomes rather than simply react to them.
