Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Engages with Media Ahead of WAVES 2025: A Giant Leap for India's Creative Economy

Mumbai | 19 April 2025:With just days to go for the inaugural World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES 2025), Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, held an insightful interaction with leading national and regional media organisations in Mumbai today. The session marked a significant milestone in the countdown to WAVES 2025, scheduled to be held from 1st to 4th May 2025 at the Jio World Convention Centre, Mumbai.

Speaking at the gathering, Shri Vaishnaw underlined the transformative phase the global creative economy is undergoing. “The world of creators is evolving rapidly. The old models are being replaced by newer, tech-driven formats, opening up both unprecedented opportunities and unique challenges,” he said.

The Minister observed that creators from even the remotest corners of the country are now able to produce high-quality content that reaches millions. “You no longer need a massive studio in Mumbai to make your mark. A young creator from a village in Jharkhand or Kerala can now create compelling content and gain global viewership,” he emphasized.

WAVES: Industry-led, Government-supported

Calling WAVES an industry-driven initiative with the government playing the role of an enabler, Shri Vaishnaw compared the platform to the World Economic Forum at Davos, but tailored for the media and entertainment sector. “WAVES is not just a summit—it is a global connector between creators, buyers, and scalable creative markets,” he stated.

Overwhelming Response: 1 Lakh+ Registrations

In a remarkable testament to India’s rising global stature in the creative economy, over 1 lakh creators have registered for participation in WAVES 2025. The summit will feature 750+ top-level creators, who will showcase their work and innovations across media, OTT, animation, gaming, digital content, and more. Select creators and innovators will be honoured with prestigious awards, recognizing their impact on the global media and entertainment ecosystem.

Unified Platform for Policy, Innovation, and Collaboration

Shri Vaishnaw was joined by Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Shri Sanjay Jaju, who welcomed participants and reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to inclusive policy-making through open dialogue. “WAVES is bringing together a powerful blend of policy makers, creators, tech leaders, investors, and start-ups to shape the future of M&E,” Shri Jaju noted.

Leaders from over 20 media houses participated in the interaction, many of whom lauded the government’s initiative in envisioning WAVES as a unifying force in India’s creative journey. They also highlighted the importance of sustained collaboration between public institutions and industry stakeholders to empower India’s creators globally.