WAVES Animation Bazaar and IndiaJoy 2025 Inaugurated in Hyderabad

• The WAVES (World of Animation, VFX, Gaming, E-sports, and Comics) initiative was conceptualised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• It envisions India as a global hub of creativity, digital innovation, and entertainment technology.
• The initiative aims to bring together artists, technologists, and entrepreneurs to foster collaboration and elevate Indian cinema and digital media to global standards.
• Shri Sanjay Jaju compared the WAVES initiative’s transformative potential to how the IPL revolutionised Indian cricket, noting that WAVES could similarly reshape the film and digital content industry.

• The WAVES Animation Bazaar serves as a content marketplace for animation, connecting creators with OTT platforms, buyers, and studios.
• It empowers content creators to monetise their work, providing a bridge between craft and commerce.
• Startups incubated under the WAVEX initiative and winners of the Create in India Challenge (Season 1) also showcased their intellectual properties (IPs) during the event.

• The IndiaJoy 2025 expo, supported by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, showcased India’s creative economy across:
  • Films
  • Animation and VFX
  • E-sports
  • OTT platforms
  • Comics and digital entertainment sectors
• The event also included a round table with Telugu and Malayalam film producers, where Japan was announced as the partner country for IFFI 2025 (International Film Festival of India).

Establishment of IICT (Indian Institute of Creative Technologies):

• Aimed at training and nurturing talent in the AVGC and media sector; Hyderabad will be one of its first regional centres.

MoU Signed:

• Between IICT and T-Hub to promote startup incubation and innovation in the media and entertainment space.

Piracy Control:

• The Ministry of I&B reaffirmed its commitment to combating digital piracy and protecting Indian cinema.

Simplified Film Certification:

• A multilingual certification system will soon be launched to make film certification faster and more transparent.

• The AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics) industry is one of the fastest-growing creative sectors in India.
• It contributes significantly to India’s digital economy and employment generation, with Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Mumbai serving as key hubs.
• The government’s AVGC-XR Mission aims to build India as a global leader in immersive technologies, including extended reality (XR) and virtual production.