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PM Modi inaugurates WAVES summit; Indian American CEOs attend
Indian-American CEOs Shantanu Narayen and Neal Mohan, amongst others reinforced India’s global creative and technological leadership.
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Bhavana P - Fri, 02, May 2025
- 15:55 EDT
- 111
PM Modi and other dignitaries at the WAVES summit / X/ narendramodi
India marked a significant milestone in its cultural and digital journey with the inauguration of WAVES 2025 at the Jio World Centre, Mumbai.
The global summit was formally opened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who underscored India’s rich storytelling tradition and its potential to become a global hub for content creation.
Also read: WAVES summit 'watershed moment' for India's creative rise: Tirlok Malik
In his keynote address, Modi urged global creators to “Create in India, Create for the World,” highlighting the convergence of content, creativity, and culture as pillars of the evolving Orange Economy.
The inaugural session was attended by delegates from over 100 countries, including policymakers, industry leaders, and distinguished artists. As a tribute to Indian cinema, Modi also released commemorative postage stamps.
World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit is an outstanding platform that highlights India’s strides in these very important sectors. This Summit beautifully merges culture with creativity. It celebrates India’s creative economy and the skills of 140 crore Indians.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 1, 2025
Glad to have… pic.twitter.com/6qJO2CGCq4
The summit placed considerable emphasis on the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the creative industries. Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen recognised India as “the world’s next creative superpower,” citing over 100 million content creators and 500 million OTT consumers. He introduced Adobe’s Firefly AI models, stressing ethical AI, content authenticity, and creator attribution.
Highlighting India's unique position in building AI-powered frameworks—from applications to data infrastructure—Narayen outlined a four-fold strategy: supercharge creativity and production, innovate business models, lead an AI-skilled workforce, and foster entrepreneurship.
In a discussion, NVIDIA executives Richard Kerris and Vishal Dhupar discussed AI’s potential in scaling and localising content, positioning India as a leading exporter of cultural narratives.
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan announced a US$101.8M (₹850 crore) investment to support India’s digital creators, acknowledging that more than 15,000 Indian channels now exceed one million subscribers. “India isn’t just leading in music and film—it’s now a Creator Nation,” he said.
WPP CEO Mark Read unveiled AI-driven advertising tools and campaigns, demonstrating how AI is enhancing, rather than replacing, creativity.
Meanwhile, UK Secretary of State Lisa Nandy announced a Bilateral Cultural Federation Agreement to deepen UK-India collaboration in cinema, museums, and performing arts.
Giving wings to the dreamers and imaginators of the country, #WAVES2025 witnessed a number of creators being bestowed with awards for their artistic expression at the Jio World Centre, Mumbai.#WAVES #WAVESIndia #WAVESummit #WAVESummitIndia #ConnectingCreatorsConnectingCountries… pic.twitter.com/gvJhxJiVUj
— Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (@MIB_India) May 2, 2025
Panel discussions further explored AI-led innovation, Gen Z media trends, and the global reach of Indian creators, reaffirming India’s growing influence in the global media and entertainment sector.
WAVES (World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit) is a global platform launched by the Government of India to position the country as a creative and technological hub. The summit aims to bring together global leaders in media, entertainment, and technology to foster collaboration, innovation, and investment in India’s creative economy.
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