SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure | SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth | SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) | National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) | Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT)
WAVES 2025 (World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit), held from 1–4 May 2025 in Mumbai, marked a strategic shift in how India is positioning itself as a global hub for the Media & Entertainment (M&E) sector, with a target to unlock a $50 billion “Orange Economy” by 2029. Inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mumbai, the summit brought together over 10,000 delegates from 90+ nations to explore the future of storytelling, gaming, and digital technology.
Central to this vision is the Create in India Challenge, which drew nearly one lakh registrations to showcase indigenous talent on a global stage. A major institutional milestone was the adoption of the WAVES Declaration by 77 countries, emphasizing international cooperation to bridge the digital divide and foster ethical content production. Additionally, the government announced the establishment of the Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT) in Mumbai to build enduring capacity for the creative economy.
Key Pillars of the WAVES 2025 Vision
The “Orange Economy” Strategy: Leveraging creativity, culture, and intellectual property to drive India’s next wave of GDP growth and employment.
AVGC-XR Ecosystem: Scaling Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality as primary drivers of digital and AI-led development.
Create in India Challenge: Establishing a global platform to discover new creative voices across animation, AI, XR, and drone cinematography.
WavesX & Startup Growth: Connecting 51 promising media-tech startups with an angel investor network to germinated investment worth thousands of crores.
Institutional Capacity (IICT): Launching a National Centre of Excellence to upskill youth in high-performance creative technologies.
What is the “WAVES Declaration”? The WAVES Declaration is a multilateral commitment adopted during the Global Media Dialogue 2025 by representatives from 77 nations. It outlines a shared roadmap for strengthening global cooperation in the media and entertainment sectors while respecting diverse cultural sensitivities. The declaration specifically focuses on bridging the global digital divide through access and affordability, promoting citizen-centric media ecosystems, and leveraging storytelling to foster international peace and harmony. By signing this document, member nations agreed to set global benchmarks for ethical AI use in media and to collaborate on cross-border intellectual property (IP) protection.
Policy Relevance
WAVES 2025 represents a transition from “Talent Export” to “Culture Export,” where India moves from being a back-office provider to a “Global Content Factory”.
Strategic Impact:
Bypassing Digital Segregation: The WAVES Declaration provides the “Techno-Legal” foundation to ensure Indian regional content—from 15,000+ top YouTube channels—is accessible in global markets.
Standardizing “Kala to Code”: The Bharat Pavilion’s focus on the transition from traditional arts to digital creativity acts as a “Standard Maker” move, ensuring cultural authenticity is preserved in AI-generated media.
Operationalizing Startup Capital: WAVEX reduces the “Implementation Friction” for deep-tech innovators by providing a dedicated angel network, directly supporting the $200 billion AI investment pipeline.
Federal Skill Synergy: Integrating IICT with the revised AI curricula of the Ministry of Education ensures that the 65% youth demographic is prepared for high-value “Orange Economy” roles.
Implementation Fidelity via WAVES Bazaar: Recording business deals worth over ₹1,300 crore validates India’s “Creative Diplomacy” as a viable engine for the $354 billion services surplus.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: How can India convert WAVES from a flagship summit into a permanent institutional platform that consistently strengthens creative exports, co-production frameworks and global policy leadership in media and entertainment?
Follow the full update here: WAVES 2025