With IICT, Mumbai will be where the future of global content is built: Ashwini Vaishnaw

Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw on Wednesday announced the establishment of the Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT)—a first-of-its-kind institution aimed at nurturing global-ready digital talent.

 The announcement was made at the inaugural edition of the Waves Summit 2025 in Mumbai, a global congregation of content creators, tech firms, policymakers, and media entrepreneurs.

The IICT will be set up in Mumbai with an investment of Rs 400 crore. “Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to develop a new set of institutions to train the next generation of creators—just like we built IITs and IIMs to power India’s tech and management revolution,” said Vaishnaw, addressing a packed audience from over 75 countries.

The government of Maharashtra has already allocated land for the institute, and several global tech giants—including Google, Apple, Microsoft, and Adobe—have extended support to make IICT a world-class facility. “These firms will help develop curriculum, provide tools and technologies, and ensure creators are future-ready,” the minister added.

Positioned as a “strategic institutional bet,” the IICT will focus on creative technology, content innovation, monetisation strategies, IP rights, and the intersection of AI and storytelling. Vaishnaw said, “Mumbai has always been the city of dreamers. With IICT, it will now be the city where the future of global content is built.”

The announcement comes against the backdrop of India’s creator economy rapidly gaining momentum. Industry estimates peg the country’s digital creator base at over 40 million and growing. 

The recently launched Create in India challenges, a part of the Waves initiative, saw participation from 35 lakh individuals, with one lakh creators actively competing from 60 countries.

“Technology has democratised the creative world. We are witnessing a profound shift in how content is created, shared, and consumed,” Vaishnaw said, adding that India’s vision is to lead this transformation.

The Waves Summit itself—held over four days in Mumbai—features 100+ sessions on content trends, creator-investor matchmaking, AI in storytelling, and regulatory frameworks. 

With the launch of IICT and the success of the first Waves edition, the government is positioning India as a “creator-to-capital” hub on the global map. “We are not just building platforms—we are building a future where India leads the world in creative technology,” Vaishnaw concluded.