Indian Institute of Creative Technology Partners with Global Giants to Revolutionize Creative Learning
Indian Institute of Creative Technology Launched in Mumbai to Lead Global AVGC-XR Innovation
In a landmark move to cement India’s position as a global powerhouse in digital creativity, the Union Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry today unveiled the Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT) — a first-of-its-kind national centre of excellence dedicated to Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality (AVGC-XR). The announcement was made on the third day of the WAVES (World Audio Visual and Entertainment) Summit in Mumbai.
Union I&B Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurated the visionary project, highlighting it as a vital part of India’s soft power strategy and a bold expression of the country’s creative ambition. Developed in collaboration with FICCI and CII, the Indian Institute of Creative Technology is poised to be a flagship institution on the lines of the IITs and IIMs, but focused entirely on creative technology and immersive media.
“We’ve taken a transformative step with the Indian Institute of Creative Technology,” Mr. Vaishnaw said. “India has the talent. Now, we are giving it the platform to lead the world in entertainment and digital innovation.”
Global Giants Join Hands with Indian Institute of Creative Technology
In a strong show of international support, top global tech and entertainment companies including JioStar, Adobe, Google, YouTube, Meta, Microsoft, Wacom, and Nvidia have signed Letters of Intent to collaborate with IICT. These partnerships aim to strengthen curriculum design, enable hands-on internships, offer scholarships, fuel start-up ecosystems, and ensure job-ready training for graduates.
From Richard Kerris of Nvidia to Sunil Abraham of Meta, industry leaders praised India’s timely move to institutionalize AVGC-XR education and innovation.
“With IICT, India is not just participating in the global content economy—it’s shaping it,” said Sanjog Gupta, CEO of JioStar.
Indian Institute of Creative Technology Board: A Council of Visionaries
The IICT’s vision is backed by a board of industry veterans and pioneers. Among them are Ashish Kulkarni, Biren Ghosh, Manvendra Shukul, Munjal Shroff, Chaitanya Chinchlikar, and Subhash Sapru, who will collectively steer the institute toward excellence in media arts and digital content innovation.
Also present at the launch were Union Minister of State for I&B L. Murugan, I&B Secretary Sanjay Jaju, and Press Information Bureau’s Principal Director General Dhirendra Ojha.
WAVES Bazaar 2025: A Roaring Marketplace for Global AVGC-XR
Running parallel to the IICT announcement was the highly successful WAVES Bazaar 2025, which recorded deals worth ₹250 crore, with projections to cross ₹400 crore by the summit’s close on Sunday.
The inaugural WAVES Bazaar united 224 sellers and 95 buyers from 22 countries — including South Korea, Japan, the U.S., Russia, and the Netherlands. Global entertainment giants like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Meta, Disney Star, Zee Entertainment, Banijay Asia, and Warner Bros. Discovery scouted fresh talent and content at the event.
New Creations Take Center Stage
A total of 115 filmmakers presented completed works, while 16 curated projects were live-pitched to international buyers, giving Indian and global creators a rare opportunity to directly engage with top-tier stakeholders.
Celebrating Global Talent: ‘Create in India’ Contest Winners
On Friday, the summit also celebrated the winners of 32 creative contests under the ‘Create in India’ initiative. Over 750 finalists from more than 60 countries gathered in Mumbai to showcase their creative skills. The programme welcomed over 1,100 international participants, reinforcing India’s status as a cultural magnet for the creative industries.
“This is not just an event—it’s a movement,” said Mr. Murugan. “The future of AVGC-XR belongs to India.”
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