The media and entertainment sector, contributing nearly Rs 3 lakh crore to the economy, is expanding at a pace significantly faster than the overall economic growth of the country, Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, said.
Jaju during an address on “Reimagining Media: How Digital Innovation is Changing the Game” at the 19th India Digital Summit (IDS), said, “The media and entertainment industrial vertical is close to about three lakh crores of an economy that we have, growing at a rate which is much faster than the rate at which our economy is growing.”
The two-day IDS 2025 was organised from January 16-17 by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) in collaboration with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, and is Supported by Digital India, Skill India and Make in India.
Jaju also highlighted the government’s initiatives, including the formation of the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies and the “Create in India Challenge”, which is being organised as part of the Waves Summit upcoming in February 2025.
Speaking about the “confluence and inter intersection between art and technology” he spoke at length about the Create in India Challenge Season 1. “These challenges are across various verticals in the media and entertainment landscape. Many of these challenges are also global challenges. All these challenges are being shepherded by the industry and I’m very happy to tell you that we’ve been getting very good participation from the creators across the length and breadth of our country,” Jaju added.
Jaju discussed the need for regulatory reforms, including light-touch regulations and amendments to the Cinematographic Act to control piracy and promote accessibility.
Regarding the industry’s challenges, he acknowledged weak news and misinformation. He commented, “There are challenges regarding AI-driven recommendations, which can also inadvertently lead to algorithmic biases. We are also aware of the inequitable returns that many creators face from digital platforms. There are copyright concerns and content quality that impact children, especially the content that promotes disharmony and sexual violence.”
However, Jaju expressed confidence that the industry can overcome these challenges and become a global leader in media and entertainment.
