I&B Ministry gears up for its inaugural “WAVES Summit” from Feb 5-9

New Delhi: The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting is gearing up to host the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) at the Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi from February 5 to 9, 2025 to boost the entire gamut of the Media & Entertainment industry. 

Being organised on a global scale for the first time in India, WAVES aims to be a premier forum fostering trade collaboration, innovation, and dialogue within the dynamic M&E industry of the country.

The sources in the ministry told BestMediaInfo.com that the summit will not only host the giants of the Indian media & entertainment industry but also the kingpins of the media and tech industries of the world. 

As per sources, the government has invited more than 60 CEOs of the big tech world, including honchos like Satya Nadella and Mark Zuckerberg. 

While the international organisations are excited to participate in the event, the Indian industry, however, is showing a ‘lukewarm’ response so far, a source said.

The government expects WAVES to be a premier forum fostering trade collaboration, innovation, and dialogue within the dynamic M&E industry. 

As per the government, the summit is a well-orchestrated ecosystem which will convene industry leaders and innovators to attract trade and shape the M&E sector of the country. 

The summit is closely associated with the I&B ministry’s ‘Create in India’ theme, as well. The WAVES summit acts as a portal through which creators can participate in a unique 25-challenge cohort. 

This was also propagated by the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, during his 114th edition of Mann Ki Baat. 

In the 114th episode of #MannKiBaat, PM @narendramodi highlights the #CreateInIndiaChallenge Season-1 under #WAVES2025, launched by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, which offers 25 challenges to promote creativity.

He urges creators from across the country to… pic.twitter.com/n0bteRefZ9

— Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (@MIB_India) September 29, 2024

Under this challenge, creators will participate in contests in fields like Animation, AR/VR/XR, Radio, Broadcasting, Social Media, Gaming, Film, Music, Generative AI and Emerging Technologies. These contests will culminate in lucrative prizes and goodies for the winners. 

Speaking at the Jawaharlal Nehru Architecture and Fine Arts University in September, Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, said, “WAVES would be the first-ever global summit covering the entire gamut of Media and Entertainment industry.”

“The program would see close coordinated efforts between the M&E industry and technology. The Summit will convene industry leaders, stakeholders, and innovators to explore opportunities, tackle challenges, attract trade to India, and shape the sector's future,” he added. 

Tapping contemporary aspects such as gaming, manga, AI, and its ilk, WAVES 2025 is an effort to boost the creator economy and elevate Indian talent to a global level. WAVES is a one-of-a-kind event that has the potential to position India as a global powerhouse in the media & entertainment industry, Jaju said.