WAVES Bazaar enabled content deals worth Rs 1,300 cr: Sanjay Jaju reveals at IICT inauguration

At the inauguration of the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT)-NFDC campus in Mumbai, Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, positioned India as a rising global hub for media, culture, and creative innovation. The event also marked the launch of the WAVES outcome report, following the massive global showcase of media and entertainment hosted earlier this year.

Reflecting on the recently concluded WAVES 2025, billed as one of the largest such events globally, the Minister said, “WAVES was not merely an event, it had a vision brought to life.” Citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks during the inauguration of WAVES, he said it was “a wave of culture, creativity, and universal connectivity,” that brought together nations and disciplines under one platform with India at the heart.

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With participation from over 100 countries, 3,000 companies, and one lakh business visitors, WAVES became a meeting confluence for storytelling traditions, emerging technologies, and cultural exchange. The summit’s Creative Sphere, a global talent and innovation showcase, drew over 1 lakh participants from 63 countries, leading to 750 finalists across 34 ‘Create in India’ challenges, revealed Jaju.

The event also led to substantial commercial outcomes, he mentioned.

“WAVES Bazaar accounted for close to Rs 1,300 crore + worth of deals in content buying and selling,” Jaju noted, adding that several MoUs and business pacts were signed during the event.

The Global Media Dialogue, attended by delegates from 77 countries, concluded with the adoption of the ‘WAVES Declaration’—a unified statement aimed at fostering global cooperation in creative industries.

IICT-NFDC: A Creative Launchpad

Jaju also announced that the newly opened NFDC campus of IICT in Mumbai is now operational, with student registrations open and classes set to begin in September. “We are not calling it a temporary setup—this is the IICT campus,” he declared.

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The campus will also host incubation facilities and aims to be a launchpad for India’s creative and entrepreneurial talent in film, animation, gaming, and allied sectors. Jaju said final campus project, expected to be completed in two years.

He concluded by expressing gratitude to the Maharashtra government for its partnership in bringing these initiatives to life.

“This is the beginning of stories yet to be told, of a creative India en route to its full discovery,” he said.

The Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Ashwini Vaishnaw, and the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis, jointly inaugurated the campus of the IICT at the NFDC Films Division Complex, Pedder Road, Mumbai on July 18.

The dignitaries also unveiled the official logo of IICT and announced the commencement of its academic programs from September this year.

Read more: Union I&B Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis inaugurate IICT Campus in Mumbai

The newly inaugurated IICT campus has a world-class infrastructure, including fully equipped classrooms, advanced media labs, post-production suites and dedicated spaces for animation, VFX and XR training. Designed to global standards, the campus provides a state-of-the-art learning environment that blends technology with creative excellence.

300 students are expected to come out of the inaugural year from this NFDC IICT campus.

The second campus is expected to be made in 2 years at Filmcity Goregaon.