WAVES 2025 unveiled several initiatives aimed at students and young creators, including the Creators Challenge and Creatosphere, which saw the participation of around 100,000 young talents across 60 countries.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated WAVES 2025 (World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit) at Mumbai’s Jio World Centre, calling it a defining moment for India's new creative economy.
Addressing a global gathering of artists, students, innovators, and policymakers from over 100 countries, he urged Indian youth to "Create in India, Create for the World", positioning them at the forefront of a global storytelling revolution.
Highlighting the educational and innovation opportunities in creative industries, Modi said, “India, with a billion-plus population, is also a land of a billion-plus stories.” He emphasized that today's young creators — from filmmakers and musicians to game designers and podcasters — have a unique chance to redefine global narratives through India's timeless cultural treasures.
WAVES 2025 unveiled several initiatives aimed at students and young creators, including the Creators Challenge and Creatosphere, which saw the participation of around 100,000 young talents across 60 countries. Over 800 finalists have been selected to showcase innovations in digital content, animation, gaming, music, and storytelling. The Prime Minister congratulated them, saying they now have the chance to leave a global mark.
“The screen may be getting smaller, but the scope is becoming infinite,” Modi said, underlining the rise of new media formats like podcasts, AR-VR experiences, and interactive storytelling. He encouraged students to blend creativity with technology, where “Creativity meets Coding, and Art merges with Augmented Reality.”
Recognizing India’s rich heritage in storytelling—from Bharata Muni’s Natya Shastra to modern cinema legends like Satyajit Ray and A.R. Rahman—Modi noted that today’s technology-driven world demands not just technical skills but emotional depth and cultural sensitivity. He urged young creators to balance innovation with human values, stating, "The goal is not to create robots, but emotionally enriched individuals."
Calling this the "dawn of India's Orange Economy" — built on Content, Creativity, and Culture — the Prime Minister stressed that India's creative sectors will be a key driver of future economic growth. He projected a bright future for industries like animation, gaming, live entertainment, and digital storytelling, sectors now seeing surging global demand.
Importantly for students and young professionals, Modi reaffirmed the government's support through initiatives like Skill India, Startup Support, and specialized policies for the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) sector. WAVES 2025 will also soon launch WAVES Awards to recognize outstanding creativity worldwide.
"Your passion, your creativity, and your stories have the power to inspire the world," Modi concluded, inviting students and young innovators to dream big, embrace India's rich heritage, and lead the world into a new era of cultural and creative leadership.
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