Netflix doubles down on India with storytelling push for its next decade

MUMBAI: Netflix isn’t just streaming in India anymore. It’s scripting its next act.

Signalling that its India story is entering a bigger, bolder chapter, Netflix co-ceo Ted Sarandos met prime M\minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi to reaffirm the streamer’s long-term commitment to India’s booming creative economy. The meeting coincided with the launch of the Netflix India Storytelling Initiative, a sweeping talent-development programme aimed at nurturing the country’s next generation of creators.

After spending more than a decade building its Indian slate with over 200 Originals filmed across more than 100 locations, Netflix is now shifting part of its focus from content creation to creator creation.

The multi-phase initiative will invest in India’s creative talent pipeline through strategic partnerships with leading institutions, equipping young storytellers with industry-ready skills across the fast-growing Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) ecosystem, the engine powering India’s expanding orange economy.

The move dovetails neatly with the Government of India’s Viksit Bharat @ 2047 vision, strengthening education, industry collaboration and workforce development while positioning India as a global storytelling powerhouse.

“India has always been one of the world’s greatest storytelling nations,” said Netflix Co-CEO Sarandos. “Over the past decade, we’ve had the privilege of seeing Indian stories connect with audiences not just across India, but around the world. As we begin our next decade here, we believe our greatest investment is in the people who will tell India’s next generation of stories. The Netflix India Storytelling Initiative reflects our long-term commitment to strengthening India’s creative ecosystem by creating more opportunities for emerging creators, because investing in creators is investing in India’s creative future.”

The initiative opens with a sharp focus on skilling.

Netflix has partnered with the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) to co-develop industry-ready curricula in visual effects mastery and media technology workflows. The streamer will also fund 100 scholarships for students enrolling in on-campus programmes spanning interactive comics and sequential art, virtual art department content creation, character animation, esports and gaming management, alongside other emerging creative disciplines.

A second partnership with the National Film Development Corp (NFDC) targets an equally critical gap, accessibility. Together, Netflix and NFDC will train audio description writers and voice professionals to make films and series more accessible to audiences with visual and hearing impairments. The programme will combine international best practices with Indian storytelling traditions, supporting both Netflix’s accessibility ambitions and the government’s inclusive media agenda.

The initiative builds on Netflix’s decade-long investment in India’s entertainment ecosystem, from nurturing talent and strengthening production infrastructure to backing ambitious projects such as Operation Safed Sagar, which have showcased Indian creative and technical expertise on a global stage.

The message is unmistakable. Netflix is no longer merely shopping for Indian stories. It’s investing in the storytellers themselves. And if its first decade was about finding India’s voice, the second looks set to amplify it for the world.