Lok Sabha Question No. 4196 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-18
Subject: Role of WAVES
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: Shri Ashish Dubey

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION & BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4196 TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.03.2026

## ROLE OF WAVES

## 4196. SHRI ASHISH DUBEY:

Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  has  assessed  the  role  of  WAVES  (World  Audio  Visual  and Entertainment Summit) in promoting Indian content, creators and production capabilities on global platforms;

(b) if so, the steps taken by the Government to leverage the outcomes of the summit for the export of Indian audio-visual content;

(c)  whether  the  summit  supported  job  creation  and  skill  development  in  the  Media  and Entertainment (M&E) sector;

(d) if so, the details of the proposed measures to follow up on the findings thereof;

(e) whether the summit deliberated upon the lack of proper guidance for talent and the absence of skill development programmes in the entertainment sector in regional languages particularly with reference to Jabalpur; and

(f) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE FOR INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING AND PARLIAMENTARY AFFAIRS. (DR. L. MURUGAN)

- (a) to (f)

The World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025 was organised in line with the Government's vision of making India a global hub for content creation under the 'Create in  India,  Create  for  the  World'  initiative.  The  Summit  provided an integrated platform for Indian creators, producers and startups to engage with global buyers, investors, OTT platforms and technology leaders from over 100 countries. It witnessed participation of more than 1 lakh people and featured over 140 sessions including plenaries, masterclasses and breakout sessions with global industry leaders.

The Creatosphere, attracted over 1 lakh registrations from creators across India and over 60 countries in multiple creative sectors including animation, gaming, VFX, XR, music and digital media.  Around  750  finalists  were  showcased  at  the  summit.  The  WaveX  startup  initiative shortlisted  30  startups  for  pitching  sessions  where  around  100  startups  showcased  their products  and  solutions  during  the  summit.  The  WAVES  Bazaar  a  year-round  global marketplace  for  film,  television,  animation,  gaming,  XR  and  digital  content  sectors.  The platform  has  over  4000  registered  buyers  and  6000  sellers  facilitating  business-to-business meetings, generating potential business leads and investment discussions.

In knowledge sessions and master classes held during the Summit, participants had several deliberations. This included discussions on skilling the youth, and creating inclusive pathways for regional and vernacular storytellers to reach global platforms.

The creators identified through Create in  India  Challenges,  WaveX & Waves Bazaar  were provided opportunities for showcase and business, through WAVES Bazaar outreach activities. These  included  several  international  platforms  like  the  International  Film  Festivals  at Melbourne, Toronto, Venice, Busan; Tokyo Game Show and the Expo 2025 Osaka. It also included domestic programmes like India Joy, India Game Developers Conference and IFFI.

The  Government  continuously  assesses  impact  of  its  various  programmes  and  initiatives including WAVES 2025.

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