Comic Con India and IICT Unite to Ignite India’s AVGC-XR Talent Revolution

In a landmark collaboration to elevate India’s creative sector, Comic Con India and the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at advancing talent development in Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality (AVGC-XR). The MoU was formalized at the inauguration of the IICT-NFDC Campus and the launch of the WAVES Outcome Report in Mumbai, with high-profile attendance from Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, and Secretary Sanjay Jaju from the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.

This partnership leverages Comic Con India’s dynamic platform and IICT’s ambition to become a national Centre of Excellence for AVGC-XR education and training, focusing on building a vibrant pipeline of skilled creators and storytellers.

IICT students will gain exclusive opportunities including:

• Access to a dedicated IICT Creative Showcase zone at Comic Con India events

• Masterclasses and guest lectures by top industry professionals

• Hackathons and content jams encouraging original intellectual property creation

• Internships providing real-world experience during Comic Con events

• Special initiatives for youth, indie creators, and fan art communities

Shefali Johnson, CEO of Comic Con India, expressed pride in the alliance, highlighting its role in nurturing homegrown talent, particularly in comics, and creating meaningful industry engagement pathways. Johnson emphasized that this partnership will help students enhance creative skills, gain mentorship, and understand commercial dynamics, while contributing to a curriculum aligned with real-world industry needs.

Ashish Kulkarni, Board Member of IICT, emphasized the joint vision to establish India as a global creative powerhouse through indigenous intellectual property and a transmedia ecosystem. He underscored the government’s commitment to building a globally competitive talent pool that can shine on the international stage.

India’s AVGC-XR sector is on a rapid growth trajectory, with revenues projected to rise from $3.9 billion in 2023 to $6.8 billion by 2026 and an expected creation of over 160,000 new jobs annually. This makes the Comic Con India–IICT collaboration a vital initiative in shaping India’s future creative economy.