Chris Ripley, President and CEO of Sinclair Inc., praised India’s media and entertainment sector at the Waves Summit 2025 in Mumbai. He appreciated the Indian government’s efforts to promote international cooperation in this space.
“This is the first Waves Summit, and my hats off to the Indian Government and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting,” said Ripley during a conversation with ANI. “They’ve opened up exciting opportunities for foreign investors and global media companies to collaborate, explore, and participate in India’s dynamic creative economy.”
Focus on Content and Collaboration
Ripley highlighted that Sinclair’s main goal in India is content distribution. The company also wants to work with local innovators like Prasar Bharati, IIT Bombay, IIT Kanpur, and Intel.
“We are rolling out devices capable of receiving and streaming video content without any additional processing, which we believe will be a game-changer,” he explained.
Indian Stories Have Global Reach
Ripley stressed the global value of Indian culture and storytelling. He noted that India’s long history offers unique content for international audiences. “India has thousands of years of stories, culture, and history that can be adapted for global audiences using AI tools and emerging technologies,” he said. “With advances in both distribution and production, these stories are now more achievable and impactful than ever before.”
Waves Summit Brings Global Media Leaders Together
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Waves Summit 2025 on Thursday afternoon. This four-day event, held under the theme “Connecting Creators, Connecting Countries,” aims to establish India as a global media and digital powerhouse.
The summit features leaders from media, entertainment, and technology industries. They are discussing innovations, investments, and international cooperation in digital content creation and distribution.
Unlocking a $50 Billion Opportunity
The Indian government sees the summit as a step toward building a $50 billion media and entertainment market by 2029. WAVES integrates various sectors like film, OTT, gaming, AI, AVGC-XR, broadcasting, and digital media.
Global Media Dialogue Hosted for the First Time
For the first time, India is hosting the Global Media Dialogue (GMD) with participation from ministers of 25 countries. This shows India’s growing role in the global media scene.
Waves Bazaar Opens Global Market Access
The summit also launched the WAVES Bazaar, a digital marketplace with over 6,100 buyers, 5,200 sellers, and 2,100 projects. It aims to connect businesses across the world, creating strong networking and deal-making opportunities.
Wide Participation and Events
WAVES 2025 has attracted participation from over 90 countries. More than 10,000 delegates, 1,000 content creators, 300 companies, and 350 startups are part of the event. Attendees can participate in 42 plenary sessions, 39 breakout sessions, and 32 masterclasses, covering various areas such as broadcasting, infotainment, film, AVGC-XR, and digital media.
