Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday opened the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025 at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, calling on world content creators to venture into India’s rich cultural tapestry and narrate its tales to the world.
PM Modi: “India is a Global Canvas for Storytellers”
Addressing the opening session, PM Modi welcomed artists, creators, investors, and policymakers from more than 100 countries, terming WAVES as a “transformational platform” for gathering the world’s creative minds together.
“Today, artists, innovators, investors, and policymakers from more than 100 nations have gathered under one roof. We are laying the foundation for a global ecosystem of talent and creativity. WAVES is such a global platform that belongs to every artist and creator,” the Prime Minister added.
Challenging the storytellers to dream big, PM Modi invited them to “make India their playground” and take advantage of its rich heritage, plural cultures, and changing creativity. “Create in India and create for the world,” he said.
Revamping the Padma Awards and Indian Cinematic Legacy
Emphasizing the change in the perception of how the Padma Awards are viewed, Modi averred that the highly esteemed awards have now turned into the “People’s Padma” under his regime, with a focus on felicitating unsung heroes who serve unselfishly for society and the country.
“The perception about the Padma Awards has also changed under our government, and the people have welcomed this transformation with open hearts,” he continued.
He also recognized the achievements of Indian cinema across the world. “In the last century, Indian cinema has succeeded in making India known in all corners of the globe. This is clear from the popularity of Raj Kapoor in Russia, Satyajit Ray at Cannes, and RRR’s success in the Oscars,” Modi stated.
Orange Economy: A New Era of Growth
PM Modi addressed India moving into a sunrise period of the ‘Orange Economy’—a term used to describe the creative and cultural industries.
“We are witnessing the growth era of the Orange economy. The three pillars of the Orange economy are content, creativity and culture,” he said, highlighting the economic power of storytelling and cultural innovation.
The Prime Minister also wished the nation on the occasion of Maharashtra and Gujarat Formation Day, greeting the people in Marathi and Gujarati. The WAVES Summit will provide a world-wide platform for cross-border collaboration and innovation, which will bring together the world’s best creative talent and vision.
