The Media & Entertainment (M&E) sector is set for tremendous growth but must rapidly adapt to deep disruption from Artificial Intelligence, said Shri Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, at the 12th CII Big Picture Summit in Mumbai. Addressing industry leaders, he called for converting India’s cultural strengths and storytelling legacy into globally competitive content powered by new technologies.
AI Era and Creative Economy Vision
Delivering the inaugural address on the theme “The AI Era – Bridging Creativity and Commerce,” Shri Jaju stressed that AI is transforming how content is created, distributed and consumed. He warned that India’s global market share—currently only about 2% of the worldwide M&E market—could shrink further if the industry fails to embrace emerging technologies and new business models. At the same time, he underlined that the “orange economy” of creativity and culture is entering a decisive phase in India, with stories “immersed with technology” becoming the key to commercial success.
Economic Impact and Global Storytelling Ambition
The Secretary highlighted that India’s creative economy provides direct or indirect livelihoods to over 10 million people and contributes around ₹3 lakh crore to the national GDP. Drawing on the country’s storytelling heritage from oral Shruti to written Kriti and visual traditions, he said India must transform this rich legacy into content that resonates with global audiences. As a rising economic power, he asserted, India’s stories “must reach all parts of the world,” forming the core of its soft power and helping connect people and nations.
Government as Enabler, Industry as Driver
Shri Jaju clarified that the government’s role is to provide an enabling ecosystem, including level playing fields, fiscal incentives and world‑class skilling frameworks, while industry must drive innovation and growth. He cited the Union Cabinet’s approval of the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) in Mumbai as a landmark initiative to bridge skill gaps in the creative economy, noting that the Film City campus is expected to be completed in two years, with the NFDC campus already operational. Platforms like WAVES Bazaar, he added, are helping creators connect with investors and buyers, strengthening the broader content ecosystem.
Policy Roadmap and Investment Platforms
During the summit, the Secretary released CII’s White Paper on “Priority Policy Reforms for a Globally Competitive Creative Economy of India,” which lays out key policy actions to boost growth, innovation and global competitiveness. The event also saw the inauguration of the CII M&E Investors’ Meet and CII WAVES Bazaar, alongside participation from senior industry leaders including Shri Gaurav Banerjee, Shri Rajan Navani and Ms. Gunjan Soni, signalling strong public‑private alignment on the future of India’s M&E sector.
Conclusion: Entertainment sector
Shri Sanjay Jaju’s address at the Big Picture Summit framed India’s M&E sector at a pivotal crossroads—facing disruptive AI‑driven change but also unprecedented opportunities to scale its creative output worldwide. With government playing the role of facilitator and industry leading on innovation, India aims to convert its cultural capital into a powerful global creative economy, where technology‑infused stories drive both commerce and soft power.
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Source: PIB
