WAVES 2025: Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT) Now Official. Here's What It Will Offer

India has taken a bold leap into the future of digital arts with the launch of the Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT) in Mumbai. Announced by Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw at the WAVES 2025 event, this new institute aims to place India on the global map for Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics (AVGC).

A National Hub for Creative Talent

Positioned as a national-level centre of excellence, the IICT is being set up by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in partnership with FICCI and CII. It's being modelled on India’s top-tier institutions like IITs and IIMs, but with a sharp focus on the creative tech ecosystem. Major global tech players—NVIDIA, Google, Apple, Microsoft, Meta, Star India, and Adobe—are already on board to co-develop courses and training modules.

“The institute has already commenced operations,” Vaishnaw said, signaling that the government’s intent is not just on paper but already in motion.

Cutting-Edge Facilities in the Heart of Mumbai

The first phase of IICT is housed in the NFDC building on Pedder Road, Mumbai. The facility comes equipped with an impressive arsenal of infrastructure: high-end gaming and animation labs, immersive studios, edit and sound suites, a virtual production setup, a preview theatre, and tech-enabled classrooms designed to match global standards.

Vaishnaw revealed that the second phase of development will be even more ambitious. “Phase 2 will involve the development of a dedicated 10-acre campus at Film City, Goregaon,” he said, underscoring the scale and seriousness of the initiative.

Regional Reach and Future Vision

But Mumbai is just the beginning. The government has its eyes on the rest of the country too. Regional centres are in the pipeline to democratize access to world-class creative education and foster vibrant local AVGC ecosystems across states.

The IICT isn’t just about skills training—it aims to become a comprehensive ecosystem supporting incubation, R&D, policy innovation, and entrepreneurship. “It is poised to create vast opportunities for young creators, technologists, and entrepreneurs,” Vaishnaw added.

With global tech support, state-of-the-art infrastructure, and a long-term roadmap, IICT could well be the launchpad India’s creative tech sector has long been waiting for.

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