In a high-profile roundtable, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with global CEOs, including Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, Instagram chief Adam Mosseri, and Reliance Group chairman Mukesh Ambani— alongside Indian startups founders and creators — to discuss India’s rising power in the global creative economy.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Mumbai on Thursday, sources told Moneycontrol.
Indian business leaders such as Sanjiv Goenka, Dream11’s Harsh Jain, Nazara Technologies’ Nitish Mittersain, and InVideo’s Sanket Shah were also a part of the discussion, along with actor Farhan Akhtar and Bhushan Kumar of T-Series.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also attended the roundtable.
The conversation focused on the opportunities and challenges for India’s creative industries, including the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI). A key concern raised during the meeting was the threat of copyright infringement posed by AI tools — an issue that has roiled global creative and tech circles, according to people familiar with the matter.
Addressing this, PM Modi emphasised that while protecting copyright is important, it should not come in the way of creativity and innovation and stifle it.
Notably, YouTube’s Mohan called PM Modi "the biggest political leader on the streaming platform globally", highlighting his significant online presence, while Adam Mosseri of Meta emphasised the diversity in the room, remarking it was the first time he had met such a broad mix of leaders across industries in a single gathering.
Earlier in the day, the PM inaugurated the first edition of WAVES at the Jio World Centre in Mumbai. The event, which features a wide lineup of speakers from across the entertainment world, aims to strengthen the media and entertainment industry’s global presence.
‘Tell your 1 billion untold stories to world’: PM Modi to youth at WAVES 2025
In his address, Modi described Waves as the start of India’s “orange economy” and highlighted the country’s growing influence in food, film, and music. He noted that India’s journey toward becoming a developed nation (‘Viksit Bharat’) has only just begun, pointing to the country’s rapid rise in fintech, mobile manufacturing, and startups.
Modi also emphasised the role of India’s youth in shaping the future of entertainment, praising their creativity across formats like reels, podcasts, and animation. "Youth don't have any baggage in their creativity. It is free flowing. I have met gamers and other creators. I follow the work of creators on social media. Reels, podcast, animation – our young minds are doing good work in these formats. WAVES is for the young generation. WAVES will help the youth redefine the entertainment industry," the PM said.
He called WAVES a platform to bring India’s rich pool of stories, talent and innovation to the global stage, underscoring opportunities in sectors like OTT, gaming, and animation.
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