The inaugural edition of the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES 2025) concluded on May 4, in Mumbai, India, drawing widespread participation from exhibitors, industry leaders, startups, policymakers, academia, and the general public.

WAVES 2025 emerged as a vital convergence point for the media and entertainment industry, engaging stakeholders from across the ecosystem — including acclaimed artists, influential content creators, technology innovators, and corporate executives. According to a statement from India’s Press Information Bureau, the event reaffirmed India’s growing status as a global powerhouse in media and entertainment.

In his opening address at the Jio World Convention Centre, on May 1, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasized the summit’s cultural and creative significance: “WAVES is not just an acronym,” he said, “it is a wave of culture, creativity and universal connectivity.”

The Prime Minister noted India’s emergence as a hub for film production, digital content, gaming, fashion, music, and live events. 

“He called upon the creators of the world to dream big and tell their stories; to the investors to invest not just in platforms, but in people; and to the Indian youth – to tell their one billion untold stories to the world,” the statement added. He further declared WAVES the beginning of India’s “Orange Economy,” urging young creators to lead this creative surge and transform India into a global creative hub.

Over its four-day duration, WAVES 2025 provided a robust platform for the exchange of ideas, skills, and sectoral expertise. The conference track facilitated critical dialogue among global thought leaders, industry pioneers, policymakers, and professionals.

The summit was particularly notable for its impactful knowledge sessions and wide-ranging discussions across key sectors including broadcasting, infotainment, AVGC-XR (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality), digital media, and filmmaking.

More than 50 keynote speeches were delivered by prominent figures such as Mukesh Ambani, Ted Sarandos, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Neal Mohan, Shantanu Narayen, Mark Read, Adam Mosseri, and Nita Ambani, offering deep insights into the future of entertainment, advertising, and digital innovation.

Cinema luminaries including Chiranjeevi, Mohanlal, Hema Malini, Akshay Kumar, Nagarjuna, Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Allu Arjun, and Shekhar Kapur, many of whom also served on the WAVES Advisory Board, participated in discussions on the evolving landscape of filmmaking in the age of virtual production and artificial intelligence.

A key highlight of the summit was the Global Media Dialogue 2025, which brought together representatives from 77 countries. The dialogue spotlighted India’s central role in shaping the global media landscape and emphasized the importance of international collaboration in nurturing creativity while respecting cultural diversity. The participating nations adopted the ‘WAVES Declaration,’ underscoring the need to bridge the digital divide and harness media to promote global peace and harmony.

India’s Foreign Minister, S. Jaishankar, stressed the importance of aligning technology with tradition and called for empowering the youth through skill development and innovation. Information & Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw spoke about the transformative role of technology in content creation and highlighted the need for co-production partnerships, local content development, and joint financing models.

Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, L. Murugan, unveiled five major reports during the summit. “These reports provide a comprehensive overview of India’s thriving media and entertainment ecosystem, covering key aspects like content production, policy frameworks, and live events,” the statement noted.

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