Once you consume our content, you will feel a ‘natural connect’ to India: PM Modi tells the world

Today, in Mumbai, artists, innovators, investors, and policy makers from more than hundred nations have come together under the same roof, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced as he opened the maiden edition of World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai on Thursday.

In Indian culture, we welcome the different thoughts, outlook, and art from around the world—to respect them is one of our greatest strengths, Modi said. WAVES 2025, under the banner of the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), brings together prominent names in creative fields, from media, film, radio, entertainment, and the tech-startup ecosystem, along with major names like Netflix, Adobe, and the like, to the same venue.

Once you consume the content from India, you will feel a “natural connect” with us, added the prime minister. Then, you would understand the relevance of our mantra ‘Create in India’, he said. Content, creativity, culture—these are the pillars of the new "orange economy".

We are making a world where we recognise the value of your idea and imagination, breathe life into them, and give you the courage to do so, Modi assured, as he looked forward to WAVES providing a platform to creators from the country.

The event in its first edition, looks to make India an attractive hub for investments in digital media, OTT, gaming, comics, and AR-VR-XR tech. It saw celebrities such as Rajnikanth, Mohanlal, Chiranjeevi, Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Amir Khan, Hema Malini, Vicky Kaushal, Alia Bhatt, and Ranbir Kapoor, among the scores of celebrities who attended the opening ceremony.

Jayant Mammen Mathew, Executive Editor and Director, Malayala Manorama, was among the guests at the inaugural event, who was joined by Radio Mango CEO Manoj Mathan.

The four-day summit also features a global e-marketplaces called WAVES Bazaar, which features north of 6,100 buyers, 5,200 sellers, and 2,100 projects—connecting customers and service providers globally and locally, according to the Ministry.

As part of the event, PM Modi visited the Bharat Pavilion and the Creatosphere—two distinct sections at WAVES 2025. The Bharat Pavilion offers a museum-like experience into the history and the future of various arms of the media and tech, while the Creatosphere features creators who won the Create in India Challenges launched across the country in 2024.

“With over 100,000 registrations, including 1,100+ international participants, WAVES 2025 is where filmmakers, tech pioneers, creators, investors, and industry leaders come together to shape the future of entertainment. From the legendary voices of Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan to the tech leadership of Satya Nadella and Sundar Pichai, the summit unites visionaries across sectors in a powerful showcase of talent and ambition,” the MIB said in a statement.

After inaugurating the first edition of WAVES, the Prime Minister is scheduled to travel to the south—Kerala, where he plans to dedicate ₹8,900-crore Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport at Thiruvananthapuram to the country.

The Thiruvananthapuram seaport is India’s first dedicated container transshipment port, with the Centre looking to build on the country’s position in global trade, with better logistical efficiency. With looming Trump tariffs, India has been exploring ways to cut down on its reliance on foreign ports for cargo transshipment. The Vizhinjam port, due to its location being close to one of the world’s busiest sea trade routes is expected to lift India’s influence in global maritime trade.

Business