Speaking about the global toy market and video games, PM Narendra Modi recently asserted that India needs to contribute more by designing and producing in the country.
“Majority of the online or digital games available in the market today are not Indian in concept,” tweeted PM Modi on his microblogging account earlier today. He also added that these games promote violence and stress amongst people on his tweet.
This comes at a time when the gaming milieu is already buzzing about the release of Krafton’s Battlegrounds Mobile India; a remodelled version of the much-controversial and banned game PUBG; PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds.
Moreover, PM Modi also spoke out about games in the country being designed and produced internationally, and then being imported into India. According to PM Modi, these games aren’t Indian in concept, and many of these games “either promote violence or cause mental stress.”
In his address to citizens, he said, “Today the world wants to understand the present potential of India, the art-culture of India, the society of India in a better way,” he said. “Our Toys and Gaming Industry can play a big role in this.”
While PM Modi with his Make In India vision, is promoting the development of games in India, it is also important to acknowledge that India has myriad game developers who have created world-class games. PM Modi hasn’t indicated whether the government will introduce any initiatives—like tax exemptions or cuts or funding—to promote game development in India.
Prime Minister Modi also shared, “Today the world wants to understand the present potential of India, the art-culture of India, the society of India in a better way. Our Toys and Gaming Industry can play a big role in this.”
The approach indeed should be two-pronged here. While game developers can double down on their efforts to create products that can compete on an international stage, our government needs to promote the gaming industry by taking some initiatives by way of subsidies, grants and tax cuts too.