WAVES 2025: India's media and entertainment industry can hit $100B in a decade, says Ambani
WAVES 2025, India’s first-of-its-kind World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit, was inaugurated on Thursday by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Jio World Centre, Mumbai
India's versatile media and entertainment industry can grow more than three-fold to $100 billion in the next decade, creating millions of jobs and a ripple effect across sectors, billionaire Mukesh Ambani said on Thursday.
He added that the fusion of storytelling and digital technologies has created a strategic and economic opportunity.
“No nation can match India’s storytelling power. Therefore, with great confidence and creativity, let us take our stories globally to heal a divided world,” Ambani added.
"This growth will drive entrepreneurship, generate millions of jobs, and create a ripple effect across sectors," he said while speaking at the inaugural session of the WAVES 2025 conference in Mumbai.
WAVES 2025, India’s first-of-its-kind World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Jio World Centre, Mumbai on May 1. It is a four-day summit on the theme “Connecting Creators, Connecting Countries,” and aims to position India as a global hub for media, entertainment, and digital innovation by bringing together creators, startups, industry leaders, and policymakers globally.
PM Modi during his address highlighted the significance of the gathering, emphasising that more than 100 countries' artists, innovators, investors, and policymakers had come together to lay the foundation for a global ecosystem of talent and creativity.
“WAVES is not merely an acronym but a wave representing culture, creativity, and universal connectivity”, he said. This underlines that the summit showcases the expansive world of films, music, gaming, animation, and storytelling, offering a global platform for artists and creators to connect and collaborate," the PIB release stated.
He also emphasised the importance of India’s creative capability and global collaboration. The PM remarked that over the years, he has engaged with professionals from gaming, music, filmmaking, and acting, discussing ideas and insights that deepened his understanding of the creative industries.
According to a PTI report, a senior official said that the Madhya Pradesh government will be launching its film tourism policy at the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025.
‘Amritasya Madhya Pradesh’, directed by choreographer Maitri Pahari and performed by over 100 artists, will celebrate the soul of India's heartland on May 2, the official said.
Referring to the MP Film Tourism Policy 2025, the official said it aims to transform Madhya Pradesh into a film-friendly destination by encouraging investments, enhancing infrastructure, and empowering local talent.
With a focus on regional languages, women-led projects, and skill development, the policy will be showcased to global filmmakers and producers during WAVES 2025, he said.
(With inputs from PTI.)