New Delhi: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting headed by Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister I&B and Railways spearheaded several major initiatives in 2025 to bolster India’s media and entertainment landscape. The centerpiece of these efforts was the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit, known as WAVES 2025. Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the event as a wave of culture and connectivity, promoting a Create in India, Create for the World vision. The summit attracted approximately 1 lakh attendees, including over 10,000 delegates and 1,000 creators from 90 countries.
The WAVES platform continues to operate through three primary verticals. The first, CreatoSphere, serves as an innovation hub for sectors like VFX, gaming, and digital media. Its Create in India Challenges (CIC) Season I became a massive movement, receiving over 1 lakh entries from 60 countries. Winners from these challenges have already represented India at major international platforms in cities like Tokyo, Melbourne, and Madrid.
The second vertical, WaveX, focuses on the startup ecosystem. It has supported over 200 startups, facilitated pitches to global tech giants like Amazon and Microsoft, and established nine incubation centers across India. Notable successes include startups like VYGR News appearing on Shark Tank India and the launch of AI and translation challenges like KalaaSetu and BhashaSetu.
The third vertical, WAVES Bazaar, acts as a global e-marketplace for creative services. Between August and December 2025, it facilitated over 9,000 B2B meetings and generated approximately 4,334 crore rupees in potential investment discussions. This period also saw the launch of creative corridors with Japan, Korea, and Australia.
Education and infrastructure received a boost with the Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT). Operating on a public-private partnership model in Mumbai, the institute inaugurated its first phase in July 2025. It currently offers 18 courses, incubates eight startups, and has established strategic partnerships with global leaders like Google, NVIDIA, and Apple.
To further grow the economy, the government established the Live Events Development Cell (LEDC) to streamline permissions for concerts and large-scale events through a single-window clearance system. Additionally, an Inter-Ministerial Committee was formed to strengthen anti-piracy measures through better enforcement and legislation.
Public broadcasting also marked significant milestones. Doordarshan received the ECI Media Award for its voter education efforts during the 2024 elections. Meanwhile, the Community Radio network expanded to 551 stations nationwide with the addition of 22 new outlets in 2025.
The year concluded with the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa. The festival screened 240 films from 81 countries and introduced India’s first AI Film Festival. Alongside IFFI, the WAVES Film Bazaar drew 2,500 delegates and showcased 320 projects. Finally, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) modernized its operations by digitizing certificates via the e-Cinepramaan portal, launching a multilingual certification module, and ensuring 50 percent women’s participation in its screening committees.