PM Modi to inaugurate WAVES summit in Mumbai on May 1

Mumbai, April 28 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES) to be held from May 1 to 4 in Mumbai.

The Summit is a global platform for the Media and Entertainment sector. The main aim of this summit is to develop the Indian media and entertainment sector by connecting it to its global media counterparts.

Industry minister Uday Samant told reporters on Monday that the event is being hosted by the Maharashtra government.

“Mumbai, which is an international city, is known as the home of Hindi cinema. Dadasaheb Phalke, the father of Indian cinema, started Marathi films in Maharashtra. Therefore, Mumbai is the leading city in the country in the field of entertainment. At the same time, Maharashtra is number one in attracting foreign investment in the last three years. Therefore, Maharashtra and Mumbai have remained number one in the field of industry as well,” he said.

He further stated, “In terms of tourism, Maharashtra is also competing with other countries. The objective is also to project states’ tourist destinations at the global level. The central government has chosen Mumbai city so that the cultural, industrial and tourism culture of Maharashtra and some traditions should go to the global level.”

The minister said ministers and ministerial-level officials from 33 countries, as well as CEOs of 120 international companies, will be present at the event.

Many veteran actors and producers from the Bollywood, Tollywood, and Marathi film industries will also participate in the event. "This event is an opportunity to take Maharashtra's cultural, industrial and tourism sectors to the global stage,” he added.

According to the state government sources, the vision is to establish WAVES as a leading global platform for the media and entertainment (M&E) industry, positioning India as a powerhouse for creativity, innovation, and content creation. Its key objectives include fostering global collaboration, driving investment into India's creative economy, showcasing technological advancements and developing the M&E ecosystem. Sources said the Summit will focus on key sectors including Film, Broadcasting, Animation, VFX, Gaming, Music, Digital Media, Advertising, Print, Radio, Comics and associated technologies.

--IANS

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