The first campus of the Indian Institute of Creative Technology has been inaugurated at the NFDC Complex in Mumbai, marking a major milestone in India’s push to develop a globally competitive creative economy. The administrative and academic facilities were jointly launched by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Railways, Electronics and IT Ashwini Vaishnaw. The event also featured the ceremonial unveiling of the IICT logo and the launch of seventeen advanced courses aligned with industry needs in the AVGC-XR sector.
The inauguration was followed by the formal opening of the WAVES Bharat Pavilion at Gulshan Mahal within the National Museum of Indian Cinema. The Pavilion, which debuted at WAVES 2025 held at the Jio World Convention Centre, has now been permanently relocated to serve as a cultural landmark in Mumbai’s tourism circuit. The Pavilion showcases India’s storytelling legacy and digital transformation, with immersive exhibits designed to reflect the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s commitment to nurturing the Orange Economy powered by content, creativity and culture.
The WAVES 2025 Outcome Reports were also released during the event, including six publications that document the summit’s impact across innovation, adoption and global engagement. These include the WAVES Outcome Report, Conference Track Report, Global Media Dialogue Coffee Table Book, Creatosphere Report, WAVEX Report and Waves Bazaar Report. The reports highlight the dynamism of India’s media and entertainment sector, spanning film, television, animation, gaming, immersive media, live events, music and digital content.
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Prasar Bharati and the Government of Maharashtra through the Maharashtra Film, Stage & Cultural Development Corporation to develop an Integrated Film and Television Media Hub. The collaboration aims to promote innovation, skill development and international competitiveness in the media sector.
Chief Minister Fadnavis stated that WAVES has evolved into a movement with global resonance and announced an allocation of Rs 1.5 billion by the Maharashtra Government to support the initiative and the creators’ economy. He expressed confidence that the IICT campus at Film City will emerge as a world-class educational institution and architectural landmark. He also noted that the WAVES Index, which initially comprised 42 companies with a collective valuation of Rs 930 billion, has now crossed Rs 1 trillion, reflecting rapid growth and potential in the creative sector.
Union Minister Vaishnaw emphasized that IICT fulfills Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of establishing an institution on par with IITs and IIMs in the field of creative technologies. He confirmed that Rs 4 billion has been allocated for IICT and that the institute will offer advanced programs in VFX, post-production, XR, gaming and animation. IICT has entered formal partnerships with global companies including Google, Meta, NVIDIA, Microsoft, Apple, Adobe and WPP. The first batch will train 300 students and also provide advanced instruction to professionals and trainers in the AVGC-XR domain.
Dignitaries present included filmmaker Shekhar Kapur and lyricist and CBFC Chairperson Prasoon Joshi. The IICT initiative is expected to catalyze India’s transition into a creative superpower, integrating traditional storytelling with cutting-edge digital innovation.
