Create in India, Create for the World
PM Modi Champions ‘Orange Economy’ at WAVES
Context: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made a strong appeal to global content creators and companies to produce creative content in India, highlighting the nation’s cultural openness and its emerging role as a hub for the “orange economy” — the fast-growing creative and cultural industries that encompass entertainment, media, intellectual property, and the arts.
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World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES)
The World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) is a landmark global event hosted for the first time by the Government of India in Mumbai from May 1–4, 2025. It is designed as a premier platform to showcase and elevate India’s media, entertainment, and technology sectors, while fostering international collaboration and innovation. WAVES 2025 features participation from over 90 countries, with more than 10,000 delegates, 1,000 creators, 300+ companies, and 350+ startups. Major global and Indian industry leaders like Netflix, Amazon, Google, Meta, Sony, Reliance, and Tata are exhibiting, alongside creative and tech innovators. The summit is held at the Jio World Convention Centre, Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Mumbai.
- Speaking at the inauguration of the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) held at Mumbai’s Jio World Centre, the Prime Minister said, “This is the right time for ‘Create in India, Create for the World.’ India respects all global cultures and offers a naturally welcoming environment for international talent.”
Orange Economy and India
- The Orange Economy, also known as the creative economy, refers to sectors rooted in creativity, culture, and intellectual property.
- It encompasses industries such as architecture, arts and crafts, design, fashion, film, video, advertising, photography, music, performing arts, publishing, research and development, software, computer games, digital content, gaming, animation, and cultural tourism.
- These industries are driven by originality, knowledge, and the ability to generate economic value from creative talent and ideas.
India’s Position and Potential
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has recently highlighted the Orange Economy as the next major engine for India’s sustainable and inclusive growth:
- Economic Contribution: India’s creative economy currently contributes about $30 billion to the GDP and employs 8% of the workforce.
- Creative exports have surpassed $11 billion annually.
- Growth Sectors: India is rapidly emerging as a global hub for film production, digital content, gaming, fashion, music, and live concerts.
- The OTT (Over-The-Top) industry has grown tenfold in recent years, and sectors like animation and graphic design are poised for significant expansion as the global animation market is expected to double in the next decade.
- Government Initiatives: The government has announced a $1 billion creative economy fund and plans to establish the Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT) in Mumbai to nurture talent and skill the next generation.
- Technology Integration: The Orange Economy in India is blending traditional cultural strengths with modern technology, including AR/VR storytelling and blockchain for digital art, to unlock new value and global reach.
