Mumbai on Thursday witnessed the launch of the BRICS WAVES Bazaar 2026, a major international marketplace dedicated to the global creative economy. The two-day event has brought together more than 500 delegates representing BRICS member and partner nations with the objective of expanding collaboration across the audiovisual, entertainment, media, and creative sectors.
The marketplace serves as a common platform for government representatives, filmmakers, creators, producers, broadcasters, OTT platforms, investors, technology companies, startups, cultural institutions, and industry associations. Organisers believe the initiative will encourage cross-border partnerships, business opportunities, knowledge exchange, and long-term cooperation among participating countries.
Ashish Shelar Highlights India’s Creative Vision
Delivering the keynote address at the opening ceremony, Maharashtra Cabinet Minister for Electronics, Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence and Culture, Adv. Ashish Shelar, welcomed delegates to Mumbai, describing the city as the heart of India’s creative ecosystem.
He said the boundaries between art and technology are rapidly disappearing, creating new opportunities for innovation and growth. According to Shelar, the BRICS WAVES Bazaar is much more than a trade exhibition. He described it as a carefully curated international platform designed to influence the future of the global creative economy.
The minister also underlined India’s growing global cultural influence under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. He said the country’s vision of becoming a global cultural guide is closely linked with the expansion of the Orange Economy, where traditional heritage, creativity, technology, and commerce work together to generate economic opportunities.
Government Stresses Culture As A Global Connector
Information and Broadcasting Secretary Chanchal Kumar said the initiative reflects Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s consistent emphasis on culture and creativity as powerful instruments for connecting nations and communities.
He noted that India’s engagement with BRICS cooperation in cinema has steadily expanded and that the BRICS WAVES Bazaar, together with the BRICS Film Festival scheduled during the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in November 2026, will create complementary platforms for both business development and cinematic exchange.
While the Bazaar will focus on investment, partnerships, and market access, the film festival will provide opportunities for filmmakers, films, and audiences to engage on a broader international stage.
Platform Designed For Business And Collaboration
The Information and Broadcasting Secretary said BRICS countries collectively possess enormous creative potential, including talented artists, filmmakers, storytellers, technological expertise, and vast consumer markets. He emphasised that the need of the hour is to connect these strengths through structured collaboration.
According to him, the BRICS WAVES Bazaar aims to become a global platform where creative projects can be discovered, co-productions initiated, investments secured, and new international markets explored.
Representatives from 21 BRICS member and partner countries are participating across sectors including film, television, animation, visual effects, gaming, music, digital media, and emerging content formats.
He also expressed hope that the Bazaar would evolve into a recognised annual marketplace where creative enterprises across BRICS nations can regularly meet, collaborate, and expand business opportunities.
Greater Exchange Of Creative Content Encouraged
Chanchal Kumar also stressed the importance of increasing the circulation of creative content within BRICS countries. He said audiences across member nations should gain greater access to each other’s films, television series, animation, music, and digital productions.
India, he added, is prepared to work closely with BRICS partners by sharing institutional experience and strengthening commercial linkages across the creative economy.
He highlighted several Indian initiatives supporting this objective, including the WAVES platform, WAVES Bazaar, the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies, India Cine Hub, creator-skilling programmes, startup initiatives, and emerging technology partnerships.
The Secretary also invited all BRICS member and partner countries to actively participate in the next edition of WAVES, scheduled to be held in Mumbai in 2027.
IFFI Invitation Extended To Global Film Community
Acclaimed filmmaker and International Film Festival of India Director Ashutosh Gowariker invited international stakeholders to participate in IFFI 2026, where nearly 250 films will be showcased across eight curated sections.
Speaking on cinema’s global influence, Gowariker said people often understand a country’s identity through its stories, films, and culture even before visiting it. He described cinema as a universal language capable of building emotional connections beyond geographical boundaries.
He added that platforms such as BRICS WAVES Bazaar help transform scripts into films, connect filmmakers with collaborators, and encourage international creative partnerships.
Creative Economy Emerging As Major Growth Driver
Joint Secretary (MER-III), Ministry of External Affairs, Rajiv Bodwade, said the event aligns with India’s BRICS Chairship theme of “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability.”
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He highlighted the growing economic significance of the creative industries, noting that the sector contributes around 3.1 percent of global GDP and generates more than 1.4 trillion US dollars in international service exports.
According to him, BRICS nations possess rich cultural heritage and rapidly expanding digital economies, positioning them to become leading contributors to the global creative sector.
Meanwhile, National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) Managing Director Prakash Magdum said the two-day programme includes keynote sessions, panel discussions, business networking events, and curated Business-to-Business meetings covering international co-productions, content financing, intellectual property, digital transformation, women-led entrepreneurship, public policy, emerging technologies, and South-South cooperation.
Concluding the inaugural session, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Senthil Rajan, said the BRICS WAVES Bazaar reflects India’s commitment to making the creative economy a key driver of innovation, entrepreneurship, employment, investment, and sustainable economic growth. By bringing policymakers and industry leaders together, the initiative aims to unlock new opportunities for trade, investment, and cultural collaboration across BRICS nations.
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