By Global Consultants Review Team
The inaugural World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES 2025) concluded in Mumbai, significantly boosting India's creative sector. The four-day global gathering attracted a diverse mix of media professionals, artists, academics, policymakers, and the general public, emerging as a key platform for innovation, collaboration, and business opportunities in the media and entertainment space.
Organized by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the summit featured the standout ‘WAVES Bazaar’, which facilitated business deals worth over ₹1,328 crore. More than 3,000 B2B meetings underscored the strong participation of exhibitors, content creators, tech firms, and producers.
In a major economic development, the Maharashtra government signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) amounting to ₹8,000 crore. This included ₹1,500 crore agreements each with the University of York and the University of Western Australia. Prime Focus and Godrej committed to investments of ₹3,000 crore and ₹2,000 crore, respectively, aimed at enhancing media, education, and entertainment infrastructure in the state.
External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar emphasized the need to harmonize tradition with technology, particularly through empowering youth with skills to meet the dynamic demands of the creative economy. Union I&B Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted the transformative role of digital platforms and advocated for global partnerships, increased local content creation, and new financing models.
The event was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who spotlighted India’s growing role as a global content hub. The summit brought together a diverse crowd, ranging from film legends and international tech leaders to entrepreneurs and investors.
Over four days, WAVES 2025 delivered a packed agenda featuring exhibitions, panel discussions, and networking forums. The ‘Conference Track’ hosted more than 140 sessions with over 100 international speakers. Keynotes were delivered by prominent figures such as Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, and Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen, focusing on topics like digital transformation, advertising evolution, and immersive storytelling.
Bollywood icons Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Akshay Kumar, and southern film giants like Chiranjeevi and Allu Arjun enriched discussions on cinema's future, AI-driven narratives, and virtual production. The summit also featured 40 masterclasses, including Aamir Khan on acting, Farhan Akhtar on direction, and Hollywood director Michael Lehmann on filmmaking. Sessions on AI, augmented reality, and generative storytelling offered a peek into the future of content creation.
With 55 breakout sessions covering OTT, music, animation, news, and more, the event addressed niche areas of entertainment in depth. A standout moment was the Global Media Dialogue, where delegates from 77 countries reaffirmed India's strategic importance in global media. Additionally, Minister of State for I&B Dr. L. Murugan launched five key reports analyzing India’s evolving media landscape, covering policy, content production, and the live entertainment boom. WAVES 2025 has firmly put India on the global creative map, opening new avenues for media innovation and cross-border partnerships in the years ahead.
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