Gaming now drives India’s entertainment economy: MIB Secretary Sanjay Jaju at Storyboard18 DES 2025
With digital-first consumption, immersive tech, and gaming at the forefront, Jaju outlined India’s roadmap to lead the global creative economy and expand the country’s digital media footprint at Storyboard18's Digital Entertainment Summit (DES) 2025.
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“Gaming now forms a very important pillar and part of the overall digital media and entertainment landscape,” said Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, as he underscored the role of gaming in India’s fast-evolving entertainment economy.
Speaking at Storyboard18’s Digital Entertainment Summit (DES) 2025, Jaju spotlighted the convergence of technology, content, and youth energy driving India’s ambition to lead the global creative economy.
From gaming companies showcasing their prowess to the immersive technologies that power them, Jaju described how India’s M&E landscape is no longer just rooted in tradition but is being rapidly redefined by innovation. “The gaming pavilion, which had so many gaming companies showcasing their prowess and content,” he said, was a central feature at WAVES 2025, India’s flagship audio-visual and entertainment summit earlier this year.
Gaming, alongside streaming platforms, animation, audio streaming, and the creator economy, represents the emerging face of India’s media narrative. “All these form the overall rubric of the digital entertainment landscape,” Jaju said, emphasizing that this ecosystem has become a core driver of cultural export and economic opportunity.
Creative Excellence and Inclusive Growth
To support the industry’s growth, Jaju said that the government will launch the Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT) in Mumbai, with operations starting by September this year. “I think that will be a great place for people to hone their skills, and also for smaller companies to get incubated,” he said.
He also called for investment in low-cost cinema halls to take theatrical entertainment to India’s hinterlands, and for making India a production hub for global content creators by offering both “cost arbitrage” and access to Indian talent and markets.
Jaju closed with a bold vision to make India a global leader in entertainment through three pillars:
Creative Excellence – “Where India becomes a global storytelling powerhouse.” Digital Innovation – “Where our creators and platforms pioneer immersive technologies like AI, XR, and VR.” Inclusive Growth – “Where talent from every corner of India finds a platform.”
Calling upon the industry to co-create, he said, “Let’s walk together, let us speak together, let our minds be united.” “Our time has come and the future is now,” Jaju concluded.
