Mumbai: In a grand opening that marked both Maharashtra Day and Gujarat Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025 in Mumbai, setting the stage for a transformative journey into India’s creative future. The summit, attended by celebrities from the Indian film industries, content creators, and stakeholders from over 100 countries, highlighted India’s pivotal role in shaping the future of global entertainment.
Over 10,000 delegates, 1,000 creators, more than 300 companies, and over 350 startups from more than 90 countries will participate in the four-day WAVES 2025 summit. Major industry players such as Netflix, Amazon, Google, Meta, Adobe, Tata, Sony, Reliance, Yash Raj Films, Balaji Telefilms, and Saregama, along with innovative startups like JetSynthesis, Neural Garage, and Free Stream Tech, will also be taking part in the event.
The prime minister began his keynote address with a powerful metaphor, saying, “Just as the sun paints the morning sky, this summit has begun with a vibrant energy and global purpose.” Drawing attention to India’s unique potential in the global creative landscape, he urged the country’s youth, creators, and international partners to harness the power of content and creativity to fuel economic growth.
India’s Rising “Orange Economy”
The central theme of PM Modi’s address was the dawn of India’s “orange economy,” encompassing industries like film, music, gaming, animation, and digital content. He remarked that Indian content is now reaching global audiences like never before, with Indian films being released in over 100 countries. The burgeoning OTT sector, he noted, has grown tenfold in recent years, further cementing India’s status as a global creative powerhouse.
“Our time has just started. We have a lot to offer,” Modi said, underscoring India’s ambition to become the third-largest economy in the world, driven by its creative industries. He also alluded to India’s growing influence in global animation, gaming, and digital design, pointing to the animation sector’s projected growth to $860 billion over the next decade.
A Century of Indian Storytelling
Reflecting on India’s long history of storytelling, PM Modi commemorated the birth anniversary of Dadasaheb Phalke, the father of Indian cinema, by discussing the country’s rich cinematic legacy. From the iconic films of Raj Kapoor in Russia to the global acclaim of Satyajit Ray and the Oscar-winning RRR, he celebrated Indian cinema as a bridge between cultures and continents.
“Whether it is the poetic lens of Guru Dutt or the social reflection of Ritwik Ghatak, each creation is an embodiment of India’s soul,” the Prime Minister said, acknowledging the diverse cultural expressions that have shaped India’s cinematic narrative over the years.
WAVES 2025: A Platform for Global Collaboration
The WAVES 2025 summit is set to feature 42 plenary sessions, 39 breakout sessions, and 32 masterclasses across a range of sectors, from broadcasting to digital media. The event includes a Creator’s Challenge, which has drawn over 1 lakh creatives from 60 countries, with 800 finalists competing across 32 innovation challenges. This is a testament to India’s role as a nexus for global collaboration in the creative industries.
Highlighting initiatives like the Bharat Pavilion and Deus Bazaar, PM Modi praised WAVES as a platform designed to connect emerging creators with global markets, transforming India into a global creative hub. He described the summit not just as an event, but as a movement to nurture and amplify India’s storytelling traditions, which have always been deeply rooted in its rich culture and heritage.
Technology Meets Tradition
In a forward-looking vision, the Prime Minister emphasized the role of technology in the evolution of India’s creative industries. He urged young creators to embrace the fusion of technology and tradition, where coding meets creativity, and digital platforms amplify cultural narratives. PM Modi also spoke of the government’s support for the AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics) sector through initiatives like Startup India and targeted policy measures.
The Prime Minister’s call to action for young creators was clear: “Create in India, create for the world.” He invited global artists, investors, and content creators to join India’s creative revolution, promising strong policy support and a booming talent pool.
A Call for Creative Responsibility
PM Modi also addressed the responsibility of the creative community in an age dominated by artificial intelligence and automation. He warned against reducing human beings to mere data points and stressed the importance of maintaining human sensitivity in creative works.
“We must ensure that humans don’t become robots. We must keep human sensitivity alive through music, art, and culture,” he said, urging creators to counter anti-human ideologies and build a compassionate, thoughtful world.
हम देखते हे कि छोटे बच्चे के जीवन की शुरुआत, बालक पैदा होता है तबसे मां से उसका संबंध भी लोरी से शुरु होता है। मां से ही वो पहला स्वर सुनता है,उसको पहला स्वर संगीत से समझ आता है। वेव्स का मकसद ऐसे ही लोगों को एक साथ लाने का है – पीएम @narendramodi#WAVESSummitIndia #DigitalIndia pic.twitter.com/3kN3Kb3ocs
— Ministry of Electronics & IT (@GoI_MeitY) May 1, 2025
WAVES Awards: The Future of Recognition in Global Creativity
As part of the summit’s exciting announcements, PM Modi unveiled the concept of the WAVES Awards – envisioned as one of the most prestigious awards in the global arts and entertainment ecosystem. “In the future, WAVES awards will be the most prestigious recognition platform for creativity and storytelling,” he said, further solidifying India’s commitment to nurturing and celebrating excellence in the creative sector.
India: The World’s Creative Playground
Concluding his address, the Prime Minister reinforced India’s readiness to not only tell its own stories but to share them with the world. “India is not just ready to tell its own stories – it’s ready to tell the stories of the world,” he declared, positioning the country as a natural content playground, rich in diversity, cultural openness, and hospitality.
As the WAVES Summit continues through Friday, May 2nd, PM Modi will also embark on a tour to Maharashtra, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh, where he will inaugurate and lay the foundation for major infrastructure projects. These initiatives, together with the cultural momentum created by WAVES 2025, signify a critical moment in India’s rise as a global leader in the creative economy.
With a booming creator economy, strong policy support, and a rich cultural heritage, India is poised to redefine the global entertainment and storytelling landscape, making WAVES 2025 a defining moment in the country’s creative journey.
