WAVES 2025: India’s Leap Towards Global Creative Leadership
_vb_11.jpeg)
India has always excelled in the art of storytelling, captivating generations with its timeless epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Our narratives extend beyond stories and serve as cultural cornerstones, shaping how we perceive the world, express creativity, and inspire generations of artists and visionaries. This inherent passion for storytelling has evolved into a powerful creative aspiration—one that is now driving India’s emergence as a global media powerhouse.
The inaugural World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES), from 1st to 4th May 2025, places India at the centre stage of global creativity. Conceptualized under Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji’s leadership, WAVES is a transformative movement that will redefine the media and entertainment (M&E) landscape. As India’s M&E industry nears INR 2.7 trillion, WAVES 2025 signals our intent to lead in creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
India’s content creation landscape has transformed from traditional media to a thriving digital-first ecosystem, expanding global connections through streaming services, social media, and emerging technologies. Government initiatives like incentives for foreign film production in India, coproduction agreements and Film Facilitation Office (FFO) strengthen India’s standing as a preferred destination for global creators.
Transforming the Media and Entertainment landscape
WAVES 2025 represents the dawn of a new era for India’s media and entertainment industry. By bringing together innovators, policymakers, artists, and industry leaders from across the globe, the summit fosters an environment of collaboration that will reshape how entertainment is created, distributed, and experienced.
Central to this transformation are initiatives like WAVEX 2025 and WAVES Bazaar. WAVEX 2025 empowers startups working in emerging technologies such as gaming, animation, extended reality (XR), generative AI, and next-gen content platforms. This initiative creates a launchpad for startups to showcase their ideas, receive mentorship, and secure funding through interactions with venture capitalists and celebrity angel investors. On the other hand, WAVES Bazaar serves as a dynamic e-marketplace designed to connect creators, buyers, and sellers. With over 5,500 buyers, 2,000 sellers, and 1,000 registered projects spanning film, television, gaming, advertising, and more, the Bazaar is a space for seamless collaboration and opportunity discovery. AI-powered matchmaking ensures that projects and professionals find the right connections, fostering innovation and driving growth in the creative economy. These platforms are more than event-driven—they are transformative ecosystems that will continue to impact the M&E sector long after WAVES concludes. This will be another milestone in India’s digital public infrastructure.
A golden platform for India’s youth
India’s youth—our greatest demographic advantage—stand to benefit profoundly from the WAVES initiative. With an average age of 29, India is not only the youngest country in the world but also the most vibrant when it comes to creativity and innovation. WAVES 2025 places the youth at the forefront of its vision, creating pathways for skill development, entrepreneurship, and global collaboration.
The Create in India Challenge is an example of this commitment. With around 1,00,000 registrations including over 1,100 international participants, the challenge has attracted a diverse pool of talent eager to showcase their creativity. The finalists, now part of CreatoSphere, will receive unparalleled opportunities to connect with industry leaders, attend masterclasses, and gain global exposure.
Furthermore, the establishment of the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) in Mumbai marks a monumental investment in the future of India’s youth. As a global centre of excellence for skill development and innovation, IICT will bridge the gap between creativity and technology, ensuring that young Indians have the expertise to meet the rising demands of the M&E industry.
Global collaboration for sustainable growth
The summit will also feature Global Media Dialogue, bringing together an unprecedented gathering of global leaders, policymakers, artists, and industry professionals. This dialogue is not just about discussions; it is about action—developing strategies for international collaboration, ethical practices, and innovation. Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji’s scheduled interactions with CEOs and industry stakeholders are expected to set the tone for impactful partnerships that will benefit India for years to come.
A vision for Viksit Bharat
WAVES 2025 is not just an event—it is a leap toward realizing India’s vision of Viksit Bharat, a developed nation leading the world in creativity and innovation. By promoting diversity, advancing technology, and empowering youth, WAVES WAVES 2025 positions India as a talent hub capable of sustainable development in the creative economy.
WAVES 2025 is a reinforcement of the endless possibilities that the creative industry has to offer. It is an opportunity to showcase its unmatched talent, technological prowess, and cultural richness. It is a testament to India’s vision to redefine the global creative ecosystem through the confluence of tradition and technology.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
SC to hear plea challenging blocking of YouTube channel '4PM' on May 13
New Delhi, May 10 (PTI): The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a plea seeking quashing of an order blocking YouTube channel '4PM' on May 13.
The apex court on May 5 sought responses from the Centre and others on the plea filed by Sanjay Sharma, the editor of digital news platform '4PM', which has a subscriber base of 73 lakh.
The plea claimed that the blocking was effected by the intermediary pursuant to an undisclosed direction allegedly issued by the Centre citing "vague" grounds of "national security" and "public order".
As per the top court's cause list for May 13, the plea is slated to come up for hearing before a bench of justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih.
The plea claimed that the blocking was a "chilling assault on journalistic independence" and the right of public to receive information.
The petition, filed through advocate Talha Abdul Rahman, said no blocking order or underlying complaint was furnished to the petitioner, violating both statutory and constitutional safeguards.
The plea also contended that it was a settled law that the Constitution does not permit blanket removal of content without an opportunity to be heard.
"'National security' and 'public order' are not talismanic invocations to insulate executive action from scrutiny," it said.
The action was not only ultra vires the parent statute, but also strikes at the core of democratic accountability ensured by a free press, the plea said.
"The blocking is a chilling assault on journalistic independence and the right of the public to receive information," it said.
The plea sought a direction to the Centre to produce the order with "reasons" and "records", if any, issued to the intermediary for blocking the channel.
It also sought quashing of Rule 16 of the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009.
Rule 16 mandates strict confidentiality regarding all requests, complaints and actions taken under the rule.
The plea also sought striking down and/or reading down Rule 9 of the Blocking Rules, 2009, to mandate issuance of a notice, opportunity of hearing and communication of a copy of the interim order to the originator or creator of the content prior to passing a final order.
It said the petitioner's YouTube channel was blocked without giving any fair opportunity to clarify or justify his case.
