India’s inaugural World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit, WAVES 2025, was officially opened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mumbai on Thursday. He described the event as a worldwide platform for innovation and connection.

The goal of the four-day international summit is to establish India as a leading centre for digital innovation, media, and entertainment.

Speaking to a sizable audience of investors, artists, producers, and legislators from more than 100 nations, PM Modi said WAVES is a platform that has the power to transform international creative collaboration.

“Today in Mumbai, there are artists, investors, innovators, and politicians from more than 100 countries. Here, the groundwork is being prepared for a worldwide ecosystem of talent and innovation. He said, “WAVES is more than just an acronym; it is a wave of culture, connectivity, and universal connect.”

The Prime Minister greeted participants and commended the worldwide reach and importance of Indian ingenuity while extending wishes to the people of Gujarat and Maharashtra on their Foundation Day.

“WAVES is a global platform that belongs to every artist and every creator, where every artist and youth will connect to the creative world through new ideas,” he said.

In addition, PM Modi honoured the history of Indian cinema by bringing up the May 3, 1913, release of Raja Harishchandra, the country’s first feature film under Dadasaheb Phalke’s direction.

He cited Satyajit Ray’s Cannes success, actor Raj Kapoor’s fame in Russia, and RRR’s recent international recognition at the Oscars to demonstrate how Indian film has traditionally contributed to increasing India’s impact worldwide.

‘Connecting artists, Connecting Countries’ is the topic of the summit, which brings together over 10,000 attendees from over 90 countries, including 1,000 artists, 300+ corporations, and 350+ startups.

A wide variety of topics, including movies, OTT, broadcasting, AVGC-XR (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality), and digital media, will be covered in the 42 plenary sessions, 39 breakout talks, and 32 masterclasses.

The Global Media Dialogue, which India is hosting for the first time with ministerial involvement from 25 countries, is a major feature of WAVES 2025. The goal of the conversation is to increase India’s interaction with the global entertainment and media landscape.

The WAVES Bazaar, a worldwide e-marketplace created to promote cooperation between more than 6,100 customers, 5,200 vendors, and 2,100 projects, is another popular destination. The marketplace will facilitate local and international networking, giving businesses and innovators access to new markets and collaborations.

The Prime Minister’s goal of using India’s technical prowess and creative potential to dominate the world’s digital and entertainment industries is in line with WAVES 2025. By 2029, the summit hopes to open a $50 billion market and increase India’s global economic and cultural influence.