WAVES to help India lead the new wave of creativity

Mumbai: India’s plans for a creative economy received a big fillip with the start of the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) on Thursday (May 1) in Mumbai. The summit brought together creators, storytellers, innovators and policymakers from around the world.

Inaugurating the summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “We are laying the foundation for a global ecosystem of talent and creativity. WAVES is a global platform that belongs to every artist and creator.”

Calling the event a perfect moment for India to lead global creativity, Modi said: “Our stories are rich in science, fiction, and courage,” he said. “Our cultural treasure is vast and diverse, and WAVES has the responsibility to showcase it to the world.”

The Indian prime minister also announced the WAVES Awards, billed as the world’s biggest recognition in creativity, and called on creators worldwide to make India their content playground. “We must ensure humans are not reduced to robots. True capability comes from creativity, music, art, and culture, not just information or technology,” he added.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said: “Our next big export is digital creativity. In Mumbai, we don’t just ride the waves — we create them.” 

With the slogan ‘Connecting Creators, Connecting Countries’, WAVES aims to establish India as an entertainment and innovation hub.

The four-day event at the Jio World Convention Centre has attracted more than 10,000 delegates, 1,000 creators, 300 companies, 350 startups and business leaders from over 90 countries. 

Among the luminaries at the event are stars from the Indian film industry. That included Rajinikanth, Chiranjeevi, Mohanlal, and Hema Malini, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Akshay Kumar, Karan Johar, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, and Ekta Kapoor.