The spotlight is already swinging back to Mumbai, long before the cameras begin rolling.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has kicked off preparations for the second edition of the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (Waves), with senior ministry officials meeting Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to chart the roadmap for the global media gathering scheduled for 2027. The meeting, led by I&B secretary Chanchal Kumar, marked the first formal coordination exercise between the centre and the Maharashtra government ahead of the summit, which the government is positioning as its flagship platform for the global media and entertainment (M&E) industry.
During the discussions, Fadnavis stressed the need for close coordination between the centre and the state to build on the success of the inaugural Waves, held in Mumbai in May 2025. He said the next edition should further strengthen the summit’s position as a global platform bringing together the worlds of films, broadcasting, music, gaming, animation and storytelling.
Kumar briefed the chief minister on the preparatory work already underway and outlined the key initiatives planned for the 2027 edition as the government looks to expand the summit’s international footprint.
Ahead of the meeting, the I&B secretary chaired an internal review with senior ministry officials before inspecting the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex, which hosted the inaugural edition and has been proposed as the venue for the next summit.
The early planning exercise underlines the government’s ambition to scale up Waves after its debut edition brought together broadcasters, streaming platforms, film studios, gaming companies, creators, technology firms and policymakers under one roof. The summit has since emerged as a key pillar of the centre’s strategy to position India as a global hub for media, entertainment and digital content.
Senior officials attending the review included Prasar Bharati CEO Gaurav Dwivedi, NFDC managing director Prakash Magdum, senior officials from the Ministry of I&B, Maharashtra chief secretary Rajesh Aggarwal and BMC commissioner Ashwini Bhide.
With preparations beginning nearly two years in advance, the government is signalling that Waves is intended to become more than a one-off industry event. Instead, it is being shaped as a long-term global platform designed to showcase India’s growing influence across the rapidly evolving media, entertainment and creative economy.
