India’s Big Leap: Government, WAVES Summit, and AVGC-XR Ecosystem Power Up the XR Revolution

India is charging ahead in the world of immersive technology, and 2025 marks a turning point. The Indian government, the WAVES Summit, and the dynamic AVGC-XR (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality) ecosystem are poised to transform India's AVGC-XR Industry into a global powerhouse for XR (Extended Reality) innovation and talent.

A National Vision for XR Leadership

At the heart of this movement is the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT), unveiled at the WAVES 2025 Summit in Mumbai. Backed by a Rs 400 crore government investment and a 10-acre campus in Mumbai Film City, IICT is set to become the “IIT” of creative technologies. The institute’s mission: to nurture world-class talent, drive research, and fuel entrepreneurship in AVGC-XR, just as IITs and IIMs have done for technology and management.

Unprecedented Industry Collaboration

What sets this initiative apart is the scale of collaboration. At WAVES 2025, IICT exchanged Letters of Intent with global tech giants-Adobe, Google, Meta, Microsoft, NVIDIA, YouTube, and JioStar-cementing partnerships for curriculum development, internships, scholarships, startup funding, and job placements. These alliances are designed to replicate India’s IT sector success in the creative digital space, ensuring sustainable growth and global competitiveness.

WAVES Summit: The Creative Pulse of India

The WAVES Summit itself is a showcase of India’s creative might. With immersive conversations, competitions, and exhibitions, WAVES puts AVGC-XR in the spotlight. Over 750 digital creators, startups, and industry leaders gather to celebrate and accelerate India’s next-gen storytellers and technologists. Initiatives like the WaveXcelerator and the Bharat Pavilion highlight grassroots talent and foster innovation across the country.

Empowering the Future: Education, Innovation, and Policy

The government’s commitment goes beyond infrastructure. IICT will offer cutting-edge labs, immersive studios, and smart classrooms, with regional centers planned nationwide. The focus is on holistic development: training, incubation, research, and policy-making-creating opportunities for creators from remote towns to urban centers.

A New Era for India’s XR Industry

With the government’s strategic vision, industry muscle, and the energy of WAVES, India is poised to lead the global AVGC-XR revolution. The ecosystem is not just about technology-it’s about empowering youth, driving economic growth, and telling India’s stories to the world in new, immersive ways.