**Executive Summary**
The document outlines the WAVES initiative, aligned with the Indian government's "Create in India, Create for the World" vision. It focuses on positioning India as a global content hub by supporting Indian creators, facilitating international collaborations, and promoting the export of Indian audio-visual content. Key components include the Create in India Challenges (CIC) and the WAVES Bazaar. The information was given on 13 FEB 2026.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **WAVES Initiative Overview:**
* Aims to make India a global content creation hub.
* Integrates Indian creators, producers, and startups with global buyers, investors, and OTT platforms.
* **Create in India Challenges (CIC):**
* Identifies and nurtures creative talent across 33 categories (animation, gaming, AR/VR, music).
* Supports winners with participation in international platforms and national events.
* **WaveX Incubation Platform:**
* Startup-led platform supporting job creation and entrepreneurship in media and entertainment.
* Incubating 34 startups and plans to scale through institutional partnerships.
* **WAVES Bazaar:**
* Year-round digital marketplace for Indian audio-visual content.
* Facilitates B2B meetings, licensing, co-productions, and international market access.
* Has over 6,000 sellers and 4,000 buyers, enabling 8,000+ B2B meetings.
* **Expansion and Outreach:**
* Expanding WaveX incubation centers and continuing CIC.
* Conducting masterclasses, workshops, and knowledge sessions to upskill the creative workforce.
**Impact Analysis**
**Indian Creators, Producers, and Startups**
*Impact:*
* Gain access to a global market, investment opportunities, and platforms for showcasing their work.
* Increased potential for collaboration and co-production with international partners.
*Action Required:*
* Participate in WAVES Bazaar, CIC and WaveX initiatives to showcase their talent and projects.
* Engage with global buyers, investors, and platforms to explore opportunities.
**Global Buyers, Investors, OTT Platforms, and Technology Leaders**
*Impact:*
* Access a wide range of Indian creative content and talent.
* Opportunities to invest in the Indian media and entertainment sector.
* Potential for collaboration and co-production with Indian creators.
*Action Required:*
* Engage with WAVES Bazaar to discover Indian audio-visual content and establish partnerships.
* Explore investment opportunities in Indian startups and projects.
**Creative Workforce**
*Impact:*
* Enhanced skills and knowledge through masterclasses, workshops, and knowledge sessions.
* Improved access to sustainable livelihoods and growth opportunities in the Indian audio-visual content sector.
*Action Required:*
* Participate in training programs to enhance skills and stay up-to-date with industry trends.
* Utilize the WAVES Bazaar platform to find job opportunities and collaborations.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Information & Broadcasting: The central ministry overseeing initiatives discussed in the document, including WAVES and Create in India.
WAVES: A government initiative designed to position India as a global content hub and facilitate the expansion of Indian AV content.
Create in India, Create for the World: A government initiative that provides an integrated platform for Indian creators to engage with global stakeholders.
WAVES Bazaar: A year-round digital marketplace facilitating B2B meetings and international market access for Indian audio-visual content.
Create in India Challenges (CIC): A nationwide initiative to identify and nurture creative talent.
Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
WAVES Positions India as a Global Content Hub
under ‘Create in India, Create for the World’
Vision
WAVES Bazaar Anchoring Global Expansion of Indian AV
Content, Converting Creative Capital into Jobs and Export
Growth
Posted On: 13 FEB 2026 4:34PM by PIB Delhi
WAVES was organised in line with the Government’s vision of making India a global hub for content
creation under the “Create in India, Create for the World” initiative. The Summit provided an integrated
platform for Indian creators, producers and startups to engage with global buyers, investors, OTT
platforms and technology leaders from over 100 countries.
The Create in India Challenges (CIC), a nationwide creative talent identification and nurturing initiative
through 33 creative challenges in categories such as animation, gaming, AR/VR and music, attracted over
one lakh registrations from creators across the world. The winners are being supported for participation,
showcasing and B2B meetings at major international platforms including Melbourne, Osaka, Toronto,
Tokyo, Madrid, Busan and Cannes. This opportunity was also provided at national events such as
IndiaJoy, IGDC and IFFI Goa, positioning CIC as a key engine for creator discovery and intellectual
property creation.
WaveX, a startup-led innovation and incubation platform for the media and entertainment sector supports
job creation and entrepreneurship. At present, WaveX is incubating 34 startups under physical and hybrid
models, with an additional pipeline of more than 100 applications. 10 startups selected under the
KalaaSetu and BhashaSetu challenges are already executing pilot deployments with government
organizations. WaveX is expected to scale substantially through its institutional partnerships, with T-Hub,
Hyderabad, and FITT, IIT Delhi, aimed at a pan- India incubation and R&D along with partner incubators
at IICT, FTII, IIMC and other institutes.
WAVES Bazaar has been operationalised as a year-round digital marketplace facilitating B2B meetings,
licensing, co-productions and international market access for Indian audio-visual content. At present,
WAVES Bazaar has more than 6,000 sellers and over 4,000 registered buyers and companies, enabling
over 8,000 B2B meetings. It is being continued as a sustained platform for market access and business
engagement. Further to WAVES, through more than ten international markets across four continents,
WAVES Bazaar facilitated B2B meetings and the signing of multiple MoUs, supporting co-productions,
licensing, investment partnerships and global market access.
Expansion of WaveX incubation centres and sustained implementation of the Create in India Challenges
are being undertaken to further strengthen skilling, entrepreneurship and employment generation.
Masterclasses, workshops and knowledge sessions by global experts contributes significantly toupskilling the creative workforce. Continued global outreach through WAVES Bazaar is envisaged to
translate creative talent into sustainable livelihoods and growth in exports of Indian audio-visual content.
The information was given by Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary
Affairs Dr. L. Murugan in the Rajya Sabha in reply to a question asked by Shri. Deepak Prakash, Shri
Ujjwal Deorao Nikam and Shri Kesridevsinh Jhala.
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Mahesh Kumar/ Vivek Vishwash
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