Hyderabad to Host Regional Centre of Indian Institute of Creative Technologies

In a major boost to India's creative and digital economy, Shri Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), announced that Hyderabad will soon host a regional centre of the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT)—a pioneering institution dedicated to fostering innovation, training, and entrepreneurship in gaming, animation, visual effects, and digital entertainment.

The announcement came during the WAVES Animation Bazaar and the 8th edition of IndiaJoy 2025, held at HICC, Hitex, Hyderabad, one of the country's largest gatherings for creative industries and media technology professionals.

A Landmark Initiative for India's Creative Economy

Addressing the gathering, Shri Sanjay Jaju said the establishment of the IICT represents a historic step toward building India's creative technology infrastructure, positioning the country as a global leader in content creation and digital storytelling.

"The Indian Institute of Creative Technologies, the first of its kind in the country, will have campuses across India, and one of its first regional centres will soon come up in Hyderabad," he announced.

He explained that the IICT will serve as a national hub for education, research, and innovation in creative technologies—bridging academia, industry, and government in the fields of Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics (AVGC). The institute will nurture skilled professionals, creative entrepreneurs, and innovators who can drive India's media and entertainment sector toward global competitiveness.

Hyderabad: The Emerging Creative Capital of India

Commending the role of Telangana's AVGC policy and the Telugu film industry, Shri Jaju said Hyderabad continues to strengthen its position as India's creative and cinematic powerhouse.

"South India, particularly Hyderabad, plays a pivotal role in driving Indian cinema and creative technology. Many pan-India films have been produced from Hyderabad, supported by world-class studios and a progressive policy framework that encourages innovation and artistic excellence," he said.

He added that India's media and entertainment industry, valued at over ₹3 lakh crore, is growing rapidly as an expression of India's soft power, with Hyderabad serving as a critical hub for VFX production, animation exports, and gaming startups.

WAVES Initiative: Transforming Creativity into Global Opportunity

Highlighting the WAVES initiative—conceptualised by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi—the MIB Secretary said it aims to make India a global powerhouse in creativity, digital innovation, and media technology.

"Just as the IPL transformed Indian cricket into a global brand, the WAVES initiative will revolutionise Indian cinema and creative industries by integrating technology with artistic imagination," he said.

Under the WAVES programme, the government envisions creating a global collaborative platform for creative professionals, facilitating talent exchange, co-productions, and technology partnerships. The initiative also seeks to boost the export of Indian creative content, helping it reach wider international audiences.

IICT–T-Hub Collaboration for Creative Startups

A major highlight of the event was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) and T-Hub, Telangana's leading startup incubator.

The collaboration will focus on nurturing startups in the media, entertainment, and gaming sectors, providing them with access to incubation support, mentorship, and investor networks. The partnership also seeks to create a national innovation pipeline for creative technologies, aligning with the government's Digital India and Startup India missions.

"This collaboration between IICT and T-Hub will enable young creators to transform ideas into scalable enterprises and position Hyderabad as a global innovation hub in media and digital entertainment," Shri Jaju noted.

Showcasing India's Creative Future: IndiaJoy 2025

The IndiaJoy 2025 platform—co-organised by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Telangana Government—showcased India's rapidly expanding creative economy, spanning films, e-sports, animation, VFX, OTT, and digital art.

At the event, Shri Jaju launched the WAVES Animation Bazaar, a first-of-its-kind physical content marketplace connecting content creators, buyers, and OTT platforms. The Bazaar provides a platform for creators to showcase, license, and monetize their intellectual properties, thereby accelerating the transition "from craft to commerce."

He said, "The WAVES Bazaar will empower creators to monetise their work globally and strengthen India's animation and gaming industry ecosystem."

Empowering Startups and Youth Creators

The expo also featured startups incubated under the WAVEX initiative and projects developed by winners of the Create in India Challenge – Season 1, highlighting indigenous intellectual properties (IPs) in animation, gaming, and media content.

These initiatives aim to give young creators exposure at major global industry events, connecting them with potential investors and media partners. The WAVEX incubator has already supported multiple early-stage startups working in metaverse design, AR/VR content, and animation production.

Japan Named Partner Country for IFFI 2025

Later in the day, Shri Sanjay Jaju chaired the IFFI Round Table with Telugu and Malayalam film producers, where he announced Japan as the partner country for the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2025.

He noted that India and Japan share a strong cinematic and cultural bond, which will be showcased through co-productions, retrospectives, and cross-cultural exchanges at the upcoming IFFI in Goa.

The Secretary also emphasized the government's ongoing efforts to combat film piracy and simplify multilingual film certification, stating that new digital systems are being introduced to make certification faster, transparent, and language-inclusive.

India's Creative Economy: A Pillar of Soft Power

The event reinforced India's growing stature as a creative economy and global content hub. The AVGC-XR (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality) sector alone is projected to grow at over 16% annually, driven by technological innovation, global demand, and skilled talent.

Industry experts highlighted that the government's focus on education, infrastructure, and intellectual property development is helping transform India from a content services provider to a content creation leader.

"Through initiatives like IICT, WAVES, and IndiaJoy, India is not just showcasing its creative talent—it's building the foundation of a global digital entertainment economy," said an industry panelist.

Dignitaries and Industry Leaders Attend

The event was attended by Shri Duddilla Sridhar Babu, Minister for IT, Telangana; Shri Dil Raju, Producer and Chairman, Telangana Film Development Corporation; popular actor Shri Teja Sajja; and representatives from TVAGA (Telangana VFX, Animation and Gaming Association), alongside several top film producers, investors, and technology innovators.

Hyderabad's Next Leap in Creative Technology

With the establishment of the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies' regional centre, Hyderabad is poised to become India's premier hub for digital arts and entertainment technology—fostering talent, entrepreneurship, and international collaboration.

Backed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Telangana Government, the initiative represents a new chapter in India's creative renaissance, driving innovation, inclusion, and global competitiveness in the AVGC sector.