Mumbai: In a landmark announcement poised to transform India’s creative and digital media landscape, the Hon’ble Minister of Information and Broadcasting unveiled the Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT) at the Waves Summit 2025. Envisioned as a national hub for the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality (AVGC-XR) sector, IICT is being positioned as a world-class institution akin to the IITs and IIMs. The initiative is being spearheaded by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in strategic collaboration with industry bodies FICCI and CII, signaling a powerful public-private partnership to fuel India’s creative economy.
Backed by an initial funding of INR 400 crore sanctioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and with land allocated by the Government of Maharashtra, IICT has already begun operations. The institute has attracted strategic collaborations with several global tech and media giants, including NVIDIA, Google, Apple, Microsoft, Meta, Star India, and Adobe—an endorsement of its ambitious vision to position India as a global creative powerhouse. Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw emphasized that IICT will serve as a catalyst for the entertainment industry’s global expansion and further solidify Mumbai’s role as a vital node in the international creative ecosystem.
The first phase of IICT is operational at the NFDC Building on Pedder Road, Mumbai, and features cutting-edge infrastructure such as Gaming and Animation Labs, Edit and Sound Suites, Virtual Production Setups, Immersive Studios, a Preview Theatre, and smart classrooms. Phase 2 will see the development of a sprawling 10-acre dedicated campus at Film City, Goregaon, which will further enhance IICT’s training, innovation, and production capabilities.
Looking ahead, the government plans to establish regional IICT centers across India to democratize access to world-class training and infrastructure in creative technology. With a robust focus on education, incubation, R&D, and policy shaping, IICT is expected to open up vast opportunities for young talent and entrepreneurs. This bold move underscores the government’s intent to scale India’s soft power and creative exports, ushering in a new era for the country’s digital and cultural economy.
