WAVES platform strengthens India’s animation, gaming and XR ecosystem: Govt

New Delhi, December 20: India’s animation, visual effects, gaming and extended reality (AVGC-XR) ecosystem is being significantly strengthened through the WAVES platform, positioning the country as an emerging global hub for creative technologies, the government informed Parliament on Friday.

In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan said the National Centre of Excellence (NCoE) for AVGC-XR has been operationalised as the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT), a premier institution for creative technologies located in Mumbai.

The IICT is being developed with a total allocation of ₹391.15 crore and is modelled on the lines of IITs and IIMs, with a focus on animation, visual effects, gaming, comics and extended reality. The institute has begun operations from the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) campus in Mumbai and functions on a public–private partnership (PPP) model.

According to the minister, IICT follows an industry-oriented curriculum aligned with global best practices and operates as a national hub under a hub-and-spoke framework. It is addressing skill gaps in areas such as virtual reality, augmented reality and 3D modelling through specialised training programmes, applied research and industry-aligned curricula.

The institute has launched 17 specialised academic programmes across gaming, animation, post-production, comics and XR, and has entered into partnerships with leading global companies including Google, Meta, NVIDIA, Microsoft, Apple, Adobe and WPP. These partnerships support curriculum co-development, access to advanced tools, mentorship and industry collaboration.

IICT also supports startup incubation and intellectual property creation, enabling Indian creative technology startups to connect with global studios, investors and markets, in line with the Create in India and Brand India initiatives.

Murugan said the government has taken several steps to boost the AVGC sector and its export potential. Following the Union Budget announcement, an AVGC Promotion Task Force was set up in April 2022 to chart a roadmap for scaling skills, employment and investment in animation, VFX, gaming and comics. The task force submitted its report in December 2022, recommending a National AVGC Mission, Centres of Excellence and targeted support for Indian IP and exports.

As part of these efforts, WAVES 2025 was held in May as a global platform for the media and entertainment sector, with a strong focus on expanding production capacity, developing talent and improving access to international markets.

Under the WAVES initiative, the AVGC sector is being supported through three key verticals. WAVES Bazaar functions as a year-round hybrid global marketplace, facilitating B2B meetings, co-production opportunities and international showcasing of Indian films, animation, gaming, VFX and XR content.

WAVEX operates as a dedicated startup accelerator and incubator for AVGC-XR and emerging media technologies. At the WAVES Summit 2025, it enabled pitching by 30 startups to investors including Microsoft and Unicorn India Ventures, and provided exhibition space to over 100 startups. Through partnerships with T-Hub and IICT, WAVEX also supports incubation, government pilots, innovation challenges and global exposure through platforms such as IFFI.

The third vertical, Creatosphere, is a talent discovery initiative under Create in India that conducts 30–35 national competitions annually across animation, gaming, webtoons and digital storytelling. The programme aims to nurture new creators by linking them with mentorship, incubation and industry opportunities.

The minister said these initiatives collectively aim to build a strong, export-oriented creative technology ecosystem and establish India as a global destination for animation, gaming and immersive media.