WAVES 2027: MIB briefs Maharashtra CM on plans for next global media summit

Information and Broadcasting Secretary Chanchal Kumar presented the Ministry's initial plans for WAVES 2027 and briefed the Chief Minister on key initiatives currently under preparation

by e4m Staff
Published: Jul 20, 2026 8:40 PM | 3 min read

Preparations for the second edition of the World Audio-Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) have commenced, with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis emphasizing collaboration between the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the state government to enhance the event's global stature for 2027.
The meeting in Mumbai, attended by a high-level delegation from the Ministry, marked the first major review since the inaugural WAVES held in May 2025, which aimed to establish India as a hub for the creative economy.
Information and Broadcasting Secretary Chanchal Kumar outlined initial plans for WAVES 2027, focusing on early planning, coordination, and operational readiness, while specific program details are still pending.
The summit aims to strengthen India's position in the global media and entertainment landscape, bringing together various stakeholders from multiple sectors, with efforts underway to ensure increased scale and international participation for the upcoming edition.

Preparations for the second edition of the World Audio-Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) have formally begun, with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis urging the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the state government to work in close coordination to make the 2027 edition a larger global event for the media and entertainment industry.

The discussions took place during a meeting in Mumbai, where a high-level delegation from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, led by Secretary Chanchal Kumar, briefed the Chief Minister on the roadmap and initial preparations for WAVES 2027, which is scheduled to be held in Mumbai.

The meeting marks the first major review since the inaugural edition of WAVES was organised in Mumbai in May 2025, as the Centre and the Maharashtra government look to position the summit as a recurring global platform for the media, entertainment and digital content ecosystem.

Building on the inaugural edition

During the meeting, Fadnavis described the first edition of WAVES as a "resounding success" and said the summit had laid the foundation for India to emerge as a global hub for the creative economy.

The inaugural edition of WAVES was held at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai between May 1 and May 4, 2025, bringing together stakeholders from films, television, music, gaming, animation, visual effects, digital content creation and allied creative industries.

The Chief Minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had envisioned WAVES as a global platform that showcases India's growing creative capabilities while encouraging international collaboration across films, music, gaming, animation and storytelling.

He stressed that the Centre and Maharashtra should continue working together to ensure the second edition expands both in scale and international participation.

Ministry outlines roadmap for 2027

Information and Broadcasting Secretary Chanchal Kumar presented the Ministry's initial plans for WAVES 2027 and briefed the Chief Minister on key initiatives currently under preparation.

While specific programme details are yet to be announced, the discussions focused on early planning, institutional coordination and operational readiness for hosting the summit in Mumbai.

Ahead of the meeting with the Chief Minister, Kumar chaired an internal review with senior officials of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to assess progress on preparations. The delegation also conducted a recce of the Jio World Convention Centre in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), the proposed venue for the 2027 edition after hosting the inaugural summit.

Multi-agency coordination underway

The meeting brought together senior officials from both the Centre and the Maharashtra government, underlining the scale of coordination required for the event.

The Ministry's delegation included Prasar Bharati CEO Gaurav Dwivedi, Additional Secretary Prabhat, Director General (West Zone) Smita Vats Sharma, Joint Secretary (IP&C) C. Senthil Rajan, Joint Secretary (Broadcasting) Prithul Kumar, Joint Secretary (Films) Dr Ajay Nagabhushan MN, Joint Secretary (Institutions) Dr K.K. Nirala and National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) Managing Director Prakash Magdum, among other officials.

Representing the Maharashtra government were Chief Secretary Rajesh Aggarwal, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Shrikar Pardeshi, Principal Secretary (Industries, Investment and Services) Dr P. Anbalagan, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation Commissioner Ashwini Bhide and Director General of Information and Public Relations Brijesh Singh, among others.

Positioning India in the global creative economy

WAVES forms part of the government's broader push to strengthen India's position in the global media and entertainment landscape. The summit is designed as a platform bringing together policymakers, investors, studios, technology companies, creators and industry stakeholders across sectors including films, broadcasting, gaming, animation, immersive technologies and digital entertainment.

As preparations gather pace, the Centre and Maharashtra are expected to work jointly on infrastructure, logistics, international participation and industry engagement, with the objective of making the 2027 edition significantly larger than its predecessor and reinforcing Mumbai's position as India's entertainment capital.