India’s creativity goes global: 10,000 delegates from 90 countries converge as WAVES Summit begins; PM Modi says, “WAVES is more than an acronym—it’s a cultural movement of creativity and global connection; this is the era of the Orange Economy.”
PM Modi Inaugurates WAVES 2025: Calls for ‘Create in India, Create for the World’
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday inaugurated WAVES 2025—the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit—at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai, marking a significant milestone in India’s creative and cultural evolution. With participation from over 10,000 delegates and representatives from more than 90 countries, the four-day summit aims to position India as a global leader in media, entertainment, and digital innovation.
Addressing the global gathering, PM Modi said, “WAVES is not just an acronym—it is a wave of culture, creativity, and universal connectivity,” describing the summit as a platform that brings together filmmakers, musicians, animators, and storytellers from across the world.
The event coincided with Maharashtra Day and Gujarat Statehood Day, where the Prime Minister extended his greetings while highlighting India’s deep-rooted cultural legacy. Recalling the release of India’s first feature film Raja Harishchandra on May 3, 1913, PM Modi paid homage to icons like Dadasaheb Phalke, Satyajit Ray, Raj Kapoor, Guru Dutt, Ritwik Ghatak, A.R. Rahman, and S.S. Rajamouli for their global contributions.
“India, home to over a billion people, is also a land of a billion stories,” Modi said, urging the global creative community to engage with India’s storytelling tradition. “This is the time to ‘Create in India, Create for the World,’” he added.
Calling WAVES 2025 a success from its very launch, PM Modi praised initiatives like the Creators Challenge and Creatosphere, which received over 1 lakh entries from 60 countries. He congratulated the 800 finalists for showcasing global talent rooted in local storytelling.
The Prime Minister also toured the Bharat Pavilion, appreciated the WAVES Bazaar, which connected over 6,100 buyers and 5,200 sellers, and underscored India’s rich storytelling landscape—“Every street has a story, every mountain sings, every river hums a tune.”
Declaring that India is entering the era of the Orange Economy—based on Content, Creativity, and Culture—he noted that Indian content now reaches 100+ countries, with the OTT industry witnessing a tenfold boom. “The screen may be getting smaller, but the message is becoming bigger,” he remarked.
PM Modi also positioned WAVES as part of India’s broader global aspirations, drawing parallels with initiatives like the People’s Padma Awards that spotlight unsung heroes. He emphasized inclusivity, recalling how India historically embraced communities like Parsis and Jews, showcasing its civilizational openness.
Highlighting India’s spiritual connection with art, he invoked Naad Brahma, stating, “Sound is divine. Be it Lord Shiva’s Damru, Goddess Saraswati’s Veena, or Lord Krishna’s Flute—music is sacred in our culture.”
He encouraged creators to dream big, investors to support talent, and Indian youth to share their untold stories globally. The PM also stressed creative responsibility in the digital and AI age: “Technology must enhance sensitivity, not replace it. We must defend our cultural integrity against divisive narratives.”
WAVES 2025 also features the first Global Media Dialogue with ministerial delegations from 25 countries. The summit will host 42 plenaries, 39 breakouts, and 32 masterclasses, covering film, gaming, digital content, AVGC-XR, and broadcasting—with a goal to grow India’s creative economy to $50 billion by 2029.
“India is fast emerging as a hub for global film production, gaming, fashion, music, and live entertainment,” PM Modi said, noting the immense opportunity in the $430 billion global animation market.
He concluded with a powerful message: “To the creators of the world—dream big and tell your story. To investors—invest not just in platforms, but in people. And to Indian youth—take your billion stories to the world.”
The event was attended by Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, Union Ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw, Dr. L. Murugan, and several leaders from India’s creative and political spheres.
About WAVES 2025
With the theme “Connecting Creators, Connecting Countries,” WAVES 2025 is a first-of-its-kind summit uniting creators, startups, and industry leaders to drive the future of media and entertainment. Key features include the WAVES Bazaar, a digital marketplace, and the presence of over 1,000 creators, 300+ companies, and 350+ startups, aiming to establish India as a global content powerhouse.
