(GIST OF YOJANA) Unleashing India’s creative Capital for Economic and Cultural Rise

(MAY-2025)

Unleashing India’s creative Capital for Economic and Cultural Rise

Context:

World defined by images, stories and immersive digital experiences, cinema, animation and gaming have emerged not merely as industries but as core shapers of national identity, economic growth and global influence. As India aspires to emerge among the top three global economies, the nation must harness its creative potential to build an inclusive, knowledge-driven economy. Central to this vision is skilling in films and animation—a domain that sits at the intersection of technology, storytelling, culture and commerce.

A Vision for Global Leadership

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of transforming India into a global media and entertainment powerhouse is no longer aspirational— it is actionable. He has spoken about media education and skilling on many occasions and delineated his vision about harnessing it in the post-budget stakeholder guidance to the education and skilling sector after the 2022 General Budget.
Calling the media-related sector a key aspect of the National Education Policy, the Prime Minister said, "AVGC, i.e., Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics: It has a huge global market with immense employment potential. Emphasis has been laid on harnessing Indian talent in this regard.” Furthermore, he instructed the education bodies to improve skilling in these areas.
WAVES 2025 (World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit) is one of the key operational components of the Prime Minister’s vision. The seriousness of the Summit is evident from the fact that the Prime Minister has personally reviewed the preparation and discussed the various aspects of the field with global industry in many of his meetings, including dedicated sessions on the subject.
The Prime Minister has consistently emphasised the media and entertainment (M&E) sector as a ‘sunrise sector’ — a vital engine for cultural expression, innovation and economic growth. His vision is clear: India must evolve from a content service provider to a global content leader. This includes becoming a hub for original storytelling, immersive technologies and intellectual property creation, which is rooted in India’s civilisational wisdom and linguistic diversity.

Traditional Cinema Education: A Solid Foundation

India is among the first countries in the world to introduce formal cinema education. Institutions like the MGR Institute in Chennai began their journey well before Independence. Despite numerous challenges, cinema education was not neglected in the post-Independence era.

AVGC: A Catalyst for Creative Growth

Among all creative domains, the AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics) sector stands out as a game-changer for India. With a growth rate of over 16% annually, AVGC is one of the fastest-growing sub-sectors in the Indian M&E space and is expected to become a $26 billion industry by 2030.
The AVGC sector not only entertains-—it drives innovation in education, health, defence and e-governance through simulation and gamification. The National Education Policy has emphasised the role of digital media and storytelling tools to enhance experiential learning. Animation and interactive media play a vital role in creating inclusive learning ecosystems, especially for children with special needs.
Moreover, AVGC is a sector where India enjoys a natural demographic dividend. With 65% of its population under 35, India can become the global supplier of creative professionals—animators, VFX specialists, game designers, motion graphic artists and creative coders. But to harness this, structured skilling is non-negotiable.
The AVGC sector is also highly exportable. Indian studios are already executing projects for Disney, DreamWorks and Marvel. If adequately skilled, this workforce can also generate Indian IPs for global consumption.

Conclusion: A Creative Nation is a Future-Ready Nation

As the Prime Minister envisioned, India must not just be a back office for global content but the boardroom. By 2047, when India marks 100 years of independence, the country should also be a global leader in original stories, creative technologies and cultural exports. Skilling in films, animation, and especially AVGC is not a niche policy—it is a nation-building tool. It will generate employment, boost GDP and, most importantly, ensure that India’s stories reach every corner of the world. The journey has begun. Now, it must accelerate with the power of skills.