PM Modi Inaugurates WAVES 2025, India’s First Global Audio-Visual and Entertainment Summit in Mumbai

Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated WAVES 2025 (World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit) at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai today, marking a historic moment for India’s creative economy. The summit, hailed as the first of its kind in India, brought together artists, innovators, investors, and policymakers from over 100 countries to foster a global creative ecosystem.

Addressing a packed audience of national and international dignitaries, PM Modi emphasized that WAVES is more than just an acronym—it is a wave of culture, creativity, and global connection. He greeted everyone on the occasion of Maharashtra Day and Gujarat Statehood Day, noting that it was a fitting date for the launch of such a landmark cultural initiative.

Reflecting on India’s rich cinematic heritage, the Prime Minister recalled the release of India’s first feature film, Raja Harishchandra, on May 3, 1913. He paid tribute to cinematic pioneers like Dadasaheb Phalke, Satyajit Ray, Raj Kapoor, Guru Dutt, Ritwik Ghatak, A.R. Rahman, and S.S. Rajamouli, crediting them for elevating Indian stories on global platforms.

“India is not only home to a billion-plus people, but also a billion-plus stories,” the Prime Minister said, underscoring India’s storytelling tradition and its power to transcend borders. He highlighted the success of initiatives like Gandhi 150, where artists from 150 countries came together to perform Vaishnav Jan To, symbolizing global harmony through art.

The summit saw the announcement of the WAVES Awards, envisioned to become among the most prestigious honors in the world of creative arts. PM Modi also applauded the Creators Challenge and Creatorsphere, which received entries from around 100,000 professionals across 60 countries, selecting 800 finalists for global recognition.

The Bharat Pavilion and WAVES Bazaar were also major attractions at the summit. These initiatives aim to promote Indian creators, connect them with emerging markets, and strengthen the country’s creative economy. Modi lauded the role of technology in bridging traditional art with modern platforms like OTT, gaming, AR/VR, and animation.

“This is the era of the Orange Economy—driven by Content, Creativity, and Culture,” Modi declared. He pointed to India’s rise as a global content powerhouse, noting the growth of its OTT sector, animation industry, and digital entertainment ecosystem. He encouraged the youth—from game designers in Bengaluru to podcasters in Kochi—to dream big and use platforms like WAVES to bring their visions to life.

The Prime Minister emphasized the need for “Creative Responsibility” in the digital age. He called on creators to foster empathy, cultural consciousness, and ethical storytelling, warning against the dangers of divisive and dehumanizing narratives. “The goal is not to create robots, but emotionally aware individuals,” he said.

WAVES 2025, he said, aims to be a bridge between India and the world, linking global storytellers, animators, investors, and content creators. Inviting international stakeholders to “Create in India, Create for the World,” Modi reaffirmed India’s openness to artistic exchange and innovation.

Concluding his address, he urged global creators to invest in India’s people, and encouraged Indian youth to share their untold stories with the world, leveraging the power of creativity and technology.

“Let’s ride the WAVES together,” he said with a smile, symbolizing the summit’s potential to reshape the global creative landscape.

Among those present at the inauguration were Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan, Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, Union Ministers Ashwini Vaishnaw and Dr. L. Murugan, along with a host of international delegates and creative industry leaders