Maharashtra & Centre begin preparations to make WAVES 2027 bigger global showcase

MUMBAI: The Centre and the Maharashtra government have kicked off preparations for the second edition of the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES), with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis calling for close coordination to make the 2027 event an even bigger global platform for the media and entertainment industry.

A high-level delegation from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, led by secretary Chanchal Kumar, met Fadnavis in Mumbai on Friday to review the roadmap for WAVES 2027, which is scheduled to be held in the city.

During the meeting, Fadnavis described the inaugural WAVES 2025 as a resounding success and said the summit had established itself as a significant platform for India’s creative industries.

He noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called for WAVES to evolve into a leading global forum showcasing films, music, gaming, animation and storytelling while strengthening collaboration among creators, artists and industry leaders from around the world.

The chief minister urged the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Government of Maharashtra to work in close partnership to ensure the second edition surpasses the success of the inaugural event.

Chanchal Kumar briefed the chief minister on the preparations already underway for WAVES 2027 and outlined several initiatives being planned for the summit, which will once again be hosted in Mumbai.

The meeting was attended by senior officials from both the Centre and the Maharashtra government.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting delegation included Prasar Bharati chief executive officer Gaurav Dwivedi, additional secretary Prabhat, director general (west zone) Smita Vats Sharma, joint secretary (IP&C) C. Senthil Rajan, joint secretary (broadcasting) Prithul Kumar, joint secretary (films) Ajay Nagabhushan MN, joint secretary (institutions) K.K. Nirala and National Film Development Corporation managing director Prakash Magdum.

Representing the Maharashtra government were chief secretary Rajesh Aggarwal, principal secretary to the chief minister Shrikar Pardeshi, principal secretary (industries, investment and services) P. Anbalagan, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation commissioner Ashwini Bhide and director general of information and public relations Brijesh Singh, among other senior officials.

Before meeting the chief minister, Chanchal Kumar chaired a review meeting with senior ministry officials to assess progress on preparations for WAVES 2027.

The delegation also conducted a recce of the Jio World Convention Centre in Bandra Kurla Complex, the venue that hosted the inaugural edition of WAVES from 1 to 4 May 2025 and is proposed to host the 2027 summit as well.

With planning now formally underway, the Centre and Maharashtra are looking to build on the inaugural edition’s momentum and position WAVES 2027 as a larger international gathering for the global media, entertainment and creator economy.