Mumbai: In a significant milestone for India’s creative and entertainment ecosystem, the Indian Performing Right Society Ltd. (IPRS) hosted a high-level, closed-door roundtable in Mumbai with Sylvie Forbin, Deputy Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), marking her first official visit to India.
The landmark event brought together influential voices from across India’s music and entertainment industries—ranging from lyricists, composers, and screenwriters to music labels, publishers, legal experts, and policymakers—to explore the evolving role of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in a rapidly digitizing and AI-driven world.
Chaired by veteran lyricist, author, and IPRS Chairman Javed Akhtar, the dialogue served as a strategic forum to discuss critical challenges and opportunities in the IP domain. The discussions centred around strengthening copyright enforcement, fair compensation for creators, and building robust frameworks to navigate emerging technologies like AI.
“The music industry has always been at the forefront of technological breakthrough. The music community has always shown resilience to overcome the challenges brought as well by technological advances. They have adapted in the best way by showing a strong alliance between them. I am impressed by India’s knowledge and assessment of what would be needed when it comes to the AI revolution and happy to go along with Indian creators to foster regulatory, business, and technological solutions to engage in this new era with the necessary tools and safeguards. Long life to Indian music!” – Sylvie Forbin, Deputy Director General, WIPO
“This roundtable was not just about rights and royalties. It was about the recognition that creators are the backbone of every cultural narrative. Through this dialogue with WIPO, we aimed to elevate the discourse on fair pay, copyright enforcement, and future-ready frameworks—especially considering AI and digital transformation. IPRS remains committed to ensuring that every voice behind the music is heard, respected, and rewarded.” – Javed Akhtar, Chairman, IPRS
“Thanks to Javed Akhtar sahab and IPRS for holding this roundtable meeting with Ms. Sylvie Forbin, Deputy Director General, WIPO. Having WIPO at the table added immense value, bringing international expertise and highlighting collaborative efforts to strengthen IP frameworks across nations. SWA and SRAI as representatives of screenwriters and lyricists strive for the rights of the creators and it is good to see all the stakeholders coming together to discuss the betterment of creators and protection of Intellectual Property.”
– Zaman Habib, General Secretary, Screenwriters Association
“Our heartfelt thanks to IPRS for organising an exclusive roundtable meeting in Mumbai, participated by personalities across India’s music and entertainment industry with Ms. Sylvie Forbin. It was a great opportunity to listen to her and express our thoughts. We truly appreciate the initiative by the one and only IPRS in supporting India’s rapidly evolving entertainment and music landscape.” – Sridhar J Swaminathan, Secretary, SIMCA
The roundtable witnessed participation from key industry leaders and associations, including Rakesh Nigam (CEO, IPRS), Blaise Fernandes (President & CEO, Indian Music Industry), Sanjay Tandon (CEO, ISAMRA), Atul Churamani (MD, Turnkey Music & Publishing), Dinraj Shetty (MD, Sony Music Publishing), and Ameet Dutta (Founder, ADP Law), alongside notable creators like Salim Merchant, Vishal Dadlani, Sneha Khanwalkar, and Kausar Munir, among others.
- Key Takeaways from the Roundtable:
- IP as a Growth Enabler: Strengthening IP frameworks is essential for fostering innovation and supporting India’s growing creative industries.
- Global-Local Synergy: Engagement with WIPO highlighted the importance of international collaboration and knowledge exchange.
- Preparing for the AI Era: A strong focus on evolving digital rights, metadata management, and ethical guidelines to navigate emerging technologies.
- Institutional Strengthening: The need for proactive government support, legal clarity, and empowered CMOs (Collective Management Organizations) to enforce rights.
- Building a Unified Voice: The event marked a milestone in uniting diverse voices to drive long-term impact on India’s cultural and economic growth.
- Elevating the Role of Creators in Policy-Making: Formal inclusion of creators in national IP and digital policy formulation was strongly advocated.
- Copyright Education & Awareness: Emphasis on educating both creators and consumers on IP rights to reduce misuse and promote informed practices.
- Strengthening Collective Management Organisations (CMOs): Modernisation and transparency of CMOs were recognized as pivotal for trust and efficiency.
- Data and Metadata Integrity: The need for robust crediting systems through better metadata was highlighted to ensure fair attribution and royalties.
- Cultural Exchange and International Cooperation: The role of WIPO in encouraging global partnerships was applauded, with a call for more international dialogue.
- Youth and Innovation: Recognising the contribution of young creators and startups in redefining the future of creative economies.
