I&B Secretary urges reforms to build globally competitive media companies

A CII white paper setting out a roadmap for India’s media and entertainment sector to reach $100 billion by the early 2030s was launched as Information & Broadcasting Secretary Chanchal Kumar called for quicker reforms, stronger regional markets and measurable implementation.

Focus on original intellectual property

Addressing the inaugural session of the two-day Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Big Picture Summit 2026, Kumar said the industry must move beyond scale and focus on original intellectual property, sustainable business models and expansion into global markets.

He called on the sector to position India as a leading source of creative content, technology and talent, while building media companies capable of competing globally.

The summit was themed ‘The New Economics of Media and Entertainment: Building India’s Future Global Media Companies’.

Kumar said India had an opportunity to turn its rich storytelling traditions, cultural diversity and creative talent into lasting economic and cultural value.

The emphasis on original intellectual property and sustainable business models links the sector’s creative strengths with the need for durable economic value and international expansion.

Innovation, trust and piracy protection

Kumar linked the summit’s theme to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s WAVES 2025 vision of ‘Create in India, Create for the World’.

He emphasised the importance of both innovation and trust as India seeks to strengthen its position in the global media and entertainment industry.

The I&B Secretary also underscored the need for a robust anti-piracy framework to protect creativity and intellectual property.

The CII paper called for quicker reforms, stronger regional markets and measurable implementation to accelerate growth in the sector.

Investor and investee meet

Kumar also inaugurated the WAVES ‘Global Investor and Investee Meet’, which brought together over 150 investors and investees.

The initiative connected nearly 20 participants from WaveX and WAVES Bazaar.

Kumar made the remarks on Thursday (October 15, 2026), at the CII summit focused on building India’s future global media companies.

Source: The Hindu