After three power-packed days of consecutive sessions featuring stalwarts from the animation, visual effects, gaming, and comics sectors, Bengaluru GAFX 2026 concluded with state officials and industry leaders reaffirming the importance of skill development, robust infrastructure, and talent cultivation to harness cutting-edge technology and drive creative excellence.
The seventh edition of the event organised by the ministry of IT & BT, Karnataka Government, and ABAI at the Lalit Ashok, has reinforced its leadership in India’s AVGC-XR sector, accelerating its shift toward original IP creation and global production maturity. Through structured global consultations, curated investor engagement, and high-impact creative showcases, the summit aligned policy, capital, and talent under a unified growth roadmap.
“AI is fundamentally reshaping the AVGC sector, reducing production cycles and redefining creative workflows. Karnataka will lead this transition with foresight. Through the Nipuna program, we will support large-scale reskilling with 50 per cent government assistance, establish a Responsible Use of AI Committee, and set up India’s first Innovation Authority with a regulatory sandbox to enable innovation,” said Karnataka Government electronics, information technology & biotechnology and rural development & panchayat raj minister Priyank Kharge.
He further mentioned, “We will strengthen IP protection through a dedicated AVGC framework, enhance Elevate grants for original IP creators, expand global market access via the Global Innovation Alliance, and develop creative clusters across the state. As the first state to introduce an AVGC policy, Karnataka will continue to lead in building a globally competitive, AI-powered creative economy.”
“Bengaluru GAFX 2026 has exceeded expectations in both scale and strategic depth. Over the past three days, we witnessed high-impact showcases, strong investor participation, meaningful global collaborations, and an extraordinary response from creators across the country. The dedicated AI tracks this year sparked critical conversations around responsible adoption, AI-led production pipelines, and the future of immersive storytelling. This edition clearly demonstrated that India is not only contributing to the global AVGC-XR industry but actively shaping its evolution. The partnerships forged and momentum generated here will continue to drive original IP creation and innovation well beyond this summit.”, commented Astra Studios founder & CEO, Bengaluru GAFX chairman, and ABAI president Biren Ghose.
The final day started with the session, Blue Zoo – Creative with character : Building global blockbuster animated IPs. This session was conducted by Blue Zoo Animation Studio senior communications manager Grace Lane. She shared insights into the studio’s approach to developing animated IPs with global appeal, highlighting the importance of strong character design, compelling storytelling, and creative innovation.
This was followed by Upgrading your cognitive OS in the age of AI led by Evivve founder & CEO Mohsin Memon. His company drives behavioural changes, merging immersive game-based learning with neuroscience to build future-ready teams and accelerate transformations. He explained their working methodology and how they can help to think faster and perform better in stress environments.
Moving forward was the session Behind the scenes of Netflix hit animated show Kurukshetra. This session was conducted by HiTech Animation Studios CEO and Kurukshetra executive producer Ashish Thapar. His presentation offered the audiences a glimpse into the creative and technical processes behind the making of the series. Thapar shared insights into the challenges of bringing mythological narratives to life through animation, highlighting the collaborative efforts of artists, writers, and technologists.
In another panel discussion titled Women in animation: India’s AVGC reset – reflection, responsibility, reinvention, leading women from the industry and training institutes explored the opportunities for the upcoming generation. The speakers for this session were DNEG India creative operations head Payal Selvam, Arena Animation Malleswaram director and VedAtma College of Design Technology & Management co-founder and chairman Sukanya Srinivas, Zebu Animation Studios production head Ishani Priyamvada, ILM talent connection senior manager Ruchi Sharma Nair and Apar Games co-founder and CEO Laxmi Khanolkar. The session was moderated by Webel Animation Academy educator/placement and outreach coordinator, Women in Animation community liaison and ASIFA executive Harshita Sharma. They reflected on the evolving AVGC ecosystem, highlighting leadership, accountability and reinvention while spotlighting how women professionals are shaping the industry’s next phase.
Up next was a lively and entertaining session titled Just a minute with E Suresh. The speaker for this segment was none other than Studio Eeksaurus founder and creative director Suresh Eriyat. This fun and engaging session offered audiences a glimpse into Eriyat’s creative journey and his unique perspective on animation and storytelling. Known for his pioneering work in the Indian animation industry, he shared anecdotes and insights that reflected both his artistic sensibilities and his commitment to pushing boundaries in visual storytelling.
Next was the presentation, Bringing Stitch Head to almostlife, delivered by Assemblage Entertainment Bangalore studio head Vishnu Ram. Ram engaged the audience with an insightful exploration of the creative and technical journey behind adapting Stitch Head into an immersive animated experience. The presentation highlighted the nuances and the detailed work that went into shaping the cute little character. The film had many unique characters and he explained to the attendees how they ensured that they got the emotions right through detailed expressions.
The event then continued with a panel discussion titled Future-ready education: Building India’s AVGC-XR talent ecosystem. The session began with a keynote address by Karnataka Government higher education department secretary Khushboo Goel Chowdhary (I.A.S.). The other speakers for this session were Aptech executive vice president Easo Thampy Mathew, Presidency University Bangalore provice chancellor dr. Vidya Shankar Shetty and RV University dean dr. Anuradha Chatterjee. This session was moderated by Arena Animation and VedAtma College of Design, Technology & Management director and chairman B.S. Srinivas. The discussion examined how India can build a robust AVGC‑XR talent ecosystem to meet the demands of a rapidly evolving industry. The panellists emphasised the importance of future‑ready education, industry‑academia collaboration, and skill development programmes tailored to emerging technologies.
Moving ahead was the session Indian comics: Legacy, manga and new wave. The speakers for this session were Alpha Comics founder, Raj Comics co-founder and Indian Comic Association (legacy) Vasu Gupta; and Cosmics founder and Indian Comic Association (manga) event head Md. Shahbaz. The session was moderated by Indian Comics Association (new wave) president and Cinemics founder Ajitesh Sharma. This discussion explored the legacy of Indian comics, tracing their journey from mythological storytelling to contemporary narratives and examined the growing influence of manga on Indian creators, reshaping artistic styles and expanding readership. The speakers also unveiled their latest comics on stage, joined by several dignitaries for the launch.
Additionally, during the valedictory, ten original IPs from Karnataka were launched, exemplifying the state’s growing strength in creator-owned content and transmedia storytelling. These IPs included Arena Animation Originals by Arena Animation; Niko by Studio Jatayu; Garuda and Sacred Legacy by Neo Entertainment Studios; Nina – The Girl with the Magic Pot and Wild Bound by Quixotics Creative Limited; Gurucool and Devi Katha by Sanskriti; Nayanar: Origins by Plangle Studio; and Lacher (brand) by Aesuloid Media. Together, these projects reflected a strong focus on culturally rooted narratives, mythology-inspired storytelling, youth-oriented animation, and globally adaptable content emerging from Karnataka’s AVGC-XR ecosystem.
The summit also witnessed the formal signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) and ABAI. The MoU establishes a five-year, non-binding framework to strengthen collaboration across education, skilling, incubation, research, and ecosystem development within the AVGC-XR sector.
Bengaluru GAFX 2026 brought together over 200 speakers representing India and 10 international countries across close to 100 sessions, including panel discussions, masterclasses, workshops, policy dialogues, investor forums, and six high-impact industry roundtables. The summit saw participation from 15+ State AVGC-XR associations and hosted the AVGC Women Leaders Mixer, which convened 30 women leaders to discuss returnships, leadership pathways, and entrepreneurship in the sector. Dedicated tracks covered AAA gaming, console development, animation pipelines, immersive media, IP monetisation, distribution strategies, AI-driven production workflows, and education-led talent development. The event garnered 10,000+ footfalls over three days, 300 curated B2B meetings, and 35 live investor pitches underscored measurable ecosystem momentum.
The event facilitated collaborations, investments, and technological advancements, propelling the industry forward. Ministers and other dignitaries concluded Bengaluru GAFX 2026 during the valedictory session, promising a bigger edition next year, scheduled to be held from 29 to 31 January 2027.
Bengaluru GAFX Day 2 takes the conversations on storytelling and creativity a notch higher
(The article has been jointly contributed by Jagruti Sardar and Binita Das)
