India’s M&E Sector: A Creative Renaissance on the Horizon

By Pickle August 10, 2025

India’s Media and Entertainment sector is poised for a creative renaissance, fuelled by government support and strategic initiatives like the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT), new emerging technologies and AI disruption. With a booming digital landscape and a goal of reaching $100 billion by 2030, the country is set to become a global powerhouse in content creation.

By Chandrajit Banerjee, DG, CII

As we stand on the brink of a new era, the Indian Media and Entertainment (M&E) industry is poised for an extraordinary transformation. With strategic government support, collaborative industry efforts, and a steadfast belief in the mantra of “Create in India for the World,” the sector is set to experience unprecedented growth. The year 2025 represents a turning point for the sector, which is symbolised by initiatives such as the WAVES Summit and the founding of the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) in Mumbai. CII is one of the industry stakeholders in the formation of IICT with the Government of India.

The IICT is a significant step forward for the industry, since it is modelled after the IITs and IIMs. The next generation of world-class M&E professionals will be trained by this institution, which will enable India to become a truly global powerhouse for media, gaming, animation, music, and emerging technologies. This institution will be supported by significant industry engagement and relationships with global tech giants.

The time has come to act. Currently, we are experiencing the “India Opportunity” in its purest form, with the creative economy of India gaining tremendous traction on a global scale. One of the highest digital adoption rates in the world and a growing population that is hungry for content are both contributing factors that are causing the $30-billion industry to undergo fast transformation.

The number of people using the internet in India exceeds 800 million, with mobile devices accounting for 75% of the traffic. Over eighty percent of mobile usage is devoted to the consumption of content, and by the year 2024, digital media has surpassed television to become the most lucrative section of media and entertainment, accounting for thirty-two percent of total profits.

This forward momentum is the result of a number of factors, including favourable demographics, which include 910 million users who are members of the millennial and Gen Z generations, rising income, cultural richness, and a huge cost advantage in producing content of world-class quality. Due to the fact that Indians spend 82% of their screen time on entertainment and media apps, we are not merely consumers; rather, we are creators and curators of digital content from around the world.

The CII has set an ambitious target, which is to develop Indian M&E into a $100 billion industry by the year 2030. It is not only a goal to strive for; it is a goal that can be accomplished. Recent research suggests that India’s Media and Entertainment sector is among the fastest expanding in the world. It will fuel economic growth, generate large-scale employment, and amplify India’s soft power through cultural diplomacy.

To get there, we must remain focused. We need sustained investment in creative infrastructure, next-gen production facilities, and a sharper focus on creative tech education and skilling. It will be vital to implement policy reforms that will promote innovation, streamline processes, and strengthen collaboration between the government and their respective industries.

The government’s recognition of M&E as a sunrise sector, coupled with the visionary leadership, has created the right foundation. Now, it’s time to scale. With a focus on collaboration and a disruptive energy, India’s M&E sector is well positioned to reshape the global creative leadership.

We believe that this decade belongs to India’s storytellers, technologists, and creative entrepreneurs. Together, we can build a knowledge-driven entertainment economy that resonates across the world. This will not only make the dream of $100 billion a reality, but it will also make it inevitable.