Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw Discusses WAVES 2025 and India’s Creative Economy Growth
Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, held a crucial consultation with news media organizations today ahead of the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES 2025) scheduled to take place in Mumbai from May 1 to 4, 2025. The meeting, attended by representatives from over 20 national and regional media houses, aimed to provide insights into the upcoming summit and discuss the future of India’s rapidly evolving creative economy.

In his address, Shri Vaishnaw highlighted the fundamental changes underway in the creator’s economy. He explained that technological advancements are reshaping the industry, with the traditional model of content creation being replaced by more accessible, modern alternatives. He emphasized that creators from even the remotest corners of India—be it Jharkhand or Kerala—are now able to produce high-quality content that can reach millions of viewers globally.

The Union Minister underscored the importance of WAVES in promoting India’s creative sector. He noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recognized the pivotal role of creators in bolstering India’s soft power globally. WAVES is designed to be a global platform, similar to the Davos summit for economic policies, but focusing on the media and entertainment sector. The Minister highlighted that the event will provide a vital platform for media and entertainment industry leaders, policy makers, tech giants, and start-ups to come together, fostering collaboration and innovation in the sector.

Shri Vaishnaw also shared that WAVES 2025 has received an overwhelming response, with more than 1 lakh registrations so far. The summit will celebrate the work of the top 750 creators through awards, honoring their contributions to the dynamic global media landscape. The Minister emphasized that WAVES is becoming a global connector between creators, buyers, and markets, providing a platform where creators can offer their content, and firms can source high-quality creative work for scalable solutions.

During the meeting, heads of various media organizations praised the Government’s initiative to conceptualize WAVES as a unique platform to bring together all key players in the Media & Entertainment (M&E) sector. They expressed confidence that the summit will pave the way for more collaboration and growth within India’s booming creative economy.

The interaction also included remarks from Shri Sanjay Jaju, Secretary of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, who emphasized the importance of collective dialogue in shaping the future of the media industry. He reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to engaging with stakeholders across various platforms and appreciated the media organizations for their active participation leading up to WAVES 2025.

WAVES 2025 is poised to be a milestone event, reflecting India’s growing influence in the global media and entertainment landscape, and providing a platform for creators, innovators, and entrepreneurs to connect, collaborate, and thrive.