'Dawn of Orange economy': PM Modi at WAVES summit, says India becoming global hub of music, film, gaming

Putting emphasis on the growth potential of the content creation economy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the time is right for creating in India and creating for the world. The current era marks the sunrise era of the 'Orange economy' in India, the Prime Minister said adding that the three pillars of the Orange economy are content, creativity and culture. 

"We are witnessing the growth era of the Orange economy. The three pillars of the Orange economy are content, creativity and culture," he said. "Today India is emerging as a global hub of music, film and gaming. With the orange economy booming, India's graphic and animation industry will face tremendous growth and bring economic prosperity for the nation" the Prime Minister said in his keynote address as he inaugurated the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit in Mumbai."

In the coming years, the creative economy can increase its contribution to India's GDP...Today, India is emerging as a global hub for film production, digital content, gaming, fashion, music and live concerts...This is the dawn of the Orange Economy in India," he said. The creative economy is interchangeably referred to as "orange economy."

"This is the right time to create in India, and create for the world. India has a treasury of stories dating back to thousands of years, at a time when the world is searching for ways and means of storytelling," the prime minister said. The prime minister termed this summit as a wave of culture, creativity and universal connect.

He had messages for all - creators, investors, and the Indian youth.To the creators of the world, he urged them to dream big and tell their stories. To investors, he suggested that they should invest not just in platforms, but in people. To Indian youth, he asked them to tell billion untold stories to the world. "This is a big opportuinty for india's creative economy," the Prime Minister said.

"Today, artists, innovators, investors, and policy makers from more than 100 nations have gathered here under one roof. We are laying the foundation for a global ecosystem of talent and creativity. WAVES is such a global platform that belongs to every artist and creator," he said.

WAVES 2025, India's first-of-its-kind World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit is held at the Jio World Centre, Mumbai. The four-day summit with tagline "Connecting Creators, Connecting Countries" is poised to position India as a global hub for media, entertainment, and digital innovation by bringing together creators, startups, industry leaders, and policymakers from across the world.

In line with Prime Minister's vision of leveraging creativity, technology, and talent to shape a brighter future, WAVES will integrate films, OTT, gaming, comics, digital media, AI, AVGC-XR, broadcasting, and emerging tech, making it a comprehensive showcase of India's media and entertainment prowess. WAVES aims to unlock a USD 50 billion market by 2029, expanding India's footprint in the global entertainment economy.

At WAVES 2025, India is hosting the Global Media Dialogue (GMD) for the first time, with ministerial participation from 25 countries, marking a milestone in the country's engagement with the global media and entertainment landscape. The Summit also features the WAVES Bazaar, a global e-marketplace with over 6,100 buyers, 5,200 sellers, and 2,100 projects. It aims to connect buyers and sellers locally and globally, ensuring wide-reaching networking and business opportunities.

WAVES 2025 is seeing participation from over 90 countries, with more than 10,000 delegates, 1,000 creators, 300+ companies, and 350+ startups. The summit features 42 plenary sessions, 39 breakout sessions, and 32 masterclasses spanning diverse sectors including broadcasting, infotainment, AVGC-XR, films, and digital media. 

(This story has not been edited by DNA staff and is published from ANI)