New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said WAVES 2025 marked a decisive step in positioning India as a global creative hub and urged creators worldwide to “dream big and tell your story.” He described the summit as a wave of culture, creativity and universal connectivity while reiterating the vision of “Create in India, Create for the World.”
The World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit, organised by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, saw participation from over 90 countries. More than 10,000 delegates, 1,000 creators, over 300 companies and 350 startups attended the event, which recorded an overall footfall of around one lakh across broadcasting, films, AVGC-XR, infotainment and digital media sectors.
The government said WAVES 2025 would continue as a long-term platform through three verticals aimed at creators, startups and global markets. These include CreatoSphere with the Create in India Challenges, the WaveX startup platform and the WAVES Bazaar global marketplace.
CreatoSphere placed creators at the centre by linking film, VFX, animation, gaming, music and digital media professionals from India and abroad. The first season of the Create in India Challenges featured 33 categories and attracted over one lakh entries from India and more than 60 countries. Over 750 finalists were showcased across eight creative zones during WAVES 2025.
Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnav recognised more than 150 creators at the WAVES Creator Awards. Several winners later represented India at international platforms in Melbourne, Toronto, Tokyo, Madrid and Osaka, securing collaborations and global exposure.
WAVES 2025 platforms drove startups and global business outreach
WaveX engaged over 200 startups and enabled more than 30 to pitch before global industry leaders including Microsoft and Amazon. Nearly 100 startups showcased solutions through exhibition booths, while two WaveX-supported startups pitched on Shark Tank India. The platform also launched the KalaaSetu and BhashaSetu challenges, selecting 10 startups for collaboration with government media units.
WAVES Bazaar functioned as a global e-marketplace connecting Indian creators with international buyers and investors. Between August and December 2025, it facilitated outreach across 12 international and four domestic events. The government reported potential business discussions worth about ₹4,334 crore, over 9,000 B2B meetings and multiple MoUs and collaboration frameworks with Japan, Korea and Australia.
The ministry also highlighted the establishment of the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies in Mumbai as a national centre of excellence for AVGC-XR. The institute began operations in July 2025 with industry partnerships and has enrolled over 100 students while incubating eight startups. Additional initiatives included steps to support live events, curb digital piracy and expand community radio, alongside major milestones at IFFI 2025 and reforms in CBFC’s digital certification process.
