New Delhi, Feb 8 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi has chaired an extensive meeting of the Advisory Board of WAVES via video conference to position India as a global entertainment hub in the world.

The Prime Minister engaged in a virtual interaction with top professionals and industry leaders from India and around the world, who are part of the Advisory Board of the WAVES Summit.

WAVES is a global summit that brings together the world of entertainment, creativity, and culture, the Prime Minister's Office said on Friday in an official statement.

In a post on X, he wrote: "Just concluded an extensive meeting of the Advisory Board of WAVES, the global summit that brings together the world of entertainment, creativity and culture. The members of the Advisory Board are eminent individuals from different walks of life, who not only reiterated their support but also shared valuable inputs on how to further enhance our efforts to make India a global entertainment hub."

WAVES 2025 is being organised by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to celebrate and amplify India's creative and media economy.

As part of the Waves Summit, being held from February 5 to 9, 2025, the Ministry is also launching the Create in India Challenge, Season 1, which will feature several 'challenges' aimed at fostering innovation and creativity. The Summit has brought together industry leaders, stakeholders, and innovators. The Summit was earlier supposed to be held alongside the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa in November.

PM Modi on Friday interacted with top professionals from India and around the world who are part of the Advisory Board of the WAVES Summit.

He engaged in virtual discussions with actors such as Amitabh Bachchan, Diljit Dosanjh, Rajinikanth, Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Chiranjeevi, Anil Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, and Anupam Kher, as well as music composer AR Rahman.

The Prime Minister also interacted with business leaders, including Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, and Mahindra & Mahindra Chairperson Anand Mahindra, among others.

In December 2024, Prime Minister Modi announced the launch of the World Audio Visual Entertainment (WAVES) Summit, calling it a crucial step toward making India a global content creation hub.

He urged young professionals in the creative industry to join the summit, scheduled for next year.

"Next year, for the first time, the World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit i.e. WAVES is going to be organised in our country. At the WAVES summit, giants from the media and entertainment industry and people from the creative world will come to India. This summit is an important step towards making India a hub of global content creation. I feel proud to tell you that in this summit young creators are also participating in this," PM Modi said in his address during the 117th episode of 'Mann Ki Baat'.

He also said that the creator economy is bringing new energy as India moves toward becoming a five trillion-dollar economy.

He urged India's entire entertainment and creative industry to be part of the WAVES summit.

"When we are moving towards a five trillion-dollar economy, our creator economy is bringing in a new energy. I would urge the entire entertainment and creative industry of India - whether you are a young creator or an established artist, associated with Bollywood or regional cinema, a professional from the TV industry, an expert in animation, gaming, or an innovator in entertainment technology - to be a part of the WAVES Summit," PM Modi said.

The inaugural edition of WAVES - International Animation Filmmakers Competition (AFC) has emerged as a groundbreaking initiative, offering a global platform for creators across animation, VFX, AR-VR, and virtual production, according to a press statement from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Launched on September 8, 2024, as part of the World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES), the competition has attracted participants and industry leaders, solidifying its reputation as a premier platform for creative storytelling and technological innovation.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has partnered with Dancing Atoms for the Animation Filmmakers Competition, the flagship event of the upcoming WAVES Summit.

This historic collaboration marks the beginning of "Create in India Season 1," paving the way for a new era in India's creative industry.

/IANS