May 03,2025 : Prominent figures from India’s music and cultural sectors have come forward to applaud Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visionary initiative in launching the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025, currently underway at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai.
Singer-composer Himesh Reshammiya expressed heartfelt gratitude to PM Modi for creating such a groundbreaking platform. “I thank PM Modi, as we have such a platform due to his vision. Outstanding things are happening here. The days are not far when our entertainment and music industries will be on top,” said Reshammiya, speaking to the media.
On the second day of the summit, celebrated folk singer Malini Awasthi also commended the initiative, calling it a crucial step in preserving and promoting India’s diverse cultural heritage. “I am so happy for this new beginning, which should have started a long time back,” she said, noting how India’s myriad regional stories have safeguarded its cultural fabric over generations.
She further lauded the collaborative efforts behind WAVES 2025, adding, “I congratulate PM Modi and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting along with the Maharashtra Government.”
PM Modi, who inaugurated the summit on May 1, described WAVES 2025 as a “historic moment” for India’s creative landscape. In his keynote, he emphasized India’s storytelling power: “India, with a billion-plus population, is also a land of a billion-plus stories and over a billion storytellers… Every street, every river, every mountain in India carries a tale.”
He encouraged global creators to look to India as a hub of inspiration, saying, “This is the perfect time to ‘Create in India, and Create for the World’.”
With the theme “Connecting Creators, Connecting Countries”, WAVES 2025 aims to establish India as a global powerhouse in media, digital content, and entertainment technology. The event spans multiple sectors including film, OTT, AVGC-XR, AI, and comics, and has drawn participation from over 90 countries, 10,000 delegates, 1,000 creators, and 350 startups.
The four-day summit, which began on May 1, will continue until May 4, offering a dynamic space for dialogue, collaboration, and innovation.