Digital Entertainment Summit 2025 to debut in Delhi as India stakes its claim on the future of global media

With the world’s largest digital population and a media economy growing at breakneck speed, India is positioning itself as a formidable force in shaping the future of global entertainment. The upcoming Storyboard18 Digital Entertainment Summit (DES), set to take place on June 27 at The Leela Palace in New Delhi, is the latest sign of the country’s ambitions and rising influence.

Backed by Network18 Group, with flagship coverage from CNBC-TV18, CNN-News18, Moneycontrol and Forbes India, the summit arrives amid a global recalibration of digital power. The event builds on momentum from the government’s landmark World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES), and seeks to define the next chapter of the digital entertainment revolution - one with India at its center.

India’s digital entertainment economy is not just expanding; it's accelerating. With a population that is not only vast but digitally native, the country is redefining how content is created, distributed and consumed. A striking example is the gaming sector, which posted a 23% year-on-year revenue growth in FY2023-24, reaching $3.8 billion.

That growth isn’t occurring in a vacuum. It is bolstered by a determined government push to make India a global hub for AVGC — Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has cast this sector as central to India’s creative and economic future, pledging support through infrastructure, talent development and policy frameworks aimed at unlocking its full potential.

DES 2025 will convene a powerful coalition of policymakers, regulators, platform leaders, creators and marketers to chart a roadmap for sustainable expansion. Key agenda items include:

Creating a progressive regulatory framework for online gaming

Harnessing artificial intelligence to enhance content creation and gameplay

Monetization strategies for gaming platforms and digital content

Strengthening global partnerships and cross-sector innovation

Enabling creator economies through policy clarity and digital infrastructure

As the lines between technology, content and commerce continue to blur, India’s digital-forward posture gives it an edge in setting trends that resonate far beyond its borders. The country is no longer a passive consumer of global content, it is fast becoming an architect of its next era.

In a world increasingly shaped by digital ecosystems, the nation's leadership in entertainment, powered by data, demographics and ambition, may well define the creative economy of the next decade. The Storyboard18 Digital Entertainment Summit is a signal to the world: the future of entertainment is being scripted in India.