Event Coverage
Newly launched IGR to acquire international copyrights and distribution rights
CANNES: Index Corporation and Sojitz Corporation have announced the launch of Index Global Rights Management Corporation (IGR) at Mipcom in Cannes, France. The company will specialise in Wireless and New Media (WNM) business like mobile and internet content by obtaining international copyrights to highly valued content and distributing the rights all over the world.
IGR will kick off with $2.19 million in capital, out of which 65 per cent will be contributed by Index Corporation and 35 per cent by Sojitz Corporation. IGR will obtain international distribution rights to content that includes video, music and sports from content holders around the world and offer them on a global scale, informs an official release.
The global market size of WNM content is now $15 billion and it is expected to grow to as much as $45 billion by 2008. These favorable market conditions of rapid expansion will help IGR towards a possible IPO in the future.
In the past, Index Corporation has forged global connections with content holders around the world, and accumulated WNM know-how and businesses, which amount to the world’s leading network for mobile content delivery. On the other hand, Sojitz Corporation’s acquisition and distribution of international copyrights continues to grow and is diversifying into animation for children, documentaries and Japanese film.
IGR, which will capitalise on the networks, contacts and know-how of these two companies, will provide content holders with an open door to WNM business that reaches mobile, Internet, television, video and DVD industries. They plan to obtain high quality video and audio content, in order to complement the existing content held by Index and Sojitz. IGR will also deliver them to overseas providers.
It has already acquired the Internet distribution rights for “BBC Radio”, provided by BBC Worldwide Ltd., and started distribution to WOWOW, a Japan based premium satellite broadcaster.
The release also informs that the worldwide mobile business growth has the potential to reach an annual rate of 15-40 per cent. The worldwide IP content market is also experiencing rapid growth and promises potential annual growth of 25-40 per cent. Although the rights business, which is a key to content, requires regional negotiations, considerable cost and a great deal of effort, Internet distributors and Video on Demand (VOD) companies throughout Japan, Europe, North America and beyond are increasingly in need of comprehensive international copyrights.
Event Coverage
Anime India announces Amazon MX Player as co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata 2026
MUMBAI: Riding high on the success of its blockbuster Mumbai debut, Anime India is accelerating its nationwide expansion with the announcement of Amazon MX Player as the co-presenting partner for Anime India Kolkata. The partnership marks a significant step forward in the festival’s mission to deliver large-scale, accessible, and fan-first anime experiences across the country.
Scheduled for 14 and 15 February 2026 at the iconic Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan, Anime India Kolkata will launch the first regional chapter of what is set to be a year-long, multi-city tour. As the curtain-raiser for the 2026 circuit, the Kolkata edition aims to fuse the energy of global Japanese pop culture with India’s fast-growing community of anime, manga, and pop-culture fans.
A household name in digital entertainment, Amazon MX Player brings unmatched reach and cultural relevance to the Anime India platform. With its expanding focus on anime and youth-driven content, Amazon MX Player’s involvement as co-presenting partner reinforces Anime India’s vision of making anime culture more inclusive breaking barriers of language, geography, and accessibility to connect with fans nationwide.
Anime India Kolkata 2026 will showcase cosplay competitions, interactive zones led by the Indian Gunpla Community, India-39 Vocaloid Community, The Japan Curry, and Adda-o-Otaku by The Otaku Guild. Fans can join tournaments across fighting games, Pokémon VGC, and more. Acclaimed Japanese director Susumu Mitsunaka (Haikyu!!) will attend as guest of honour, appearing in panels and live sessions. Positioned as an immersive celebration of fan culture and industry collaboration, the Kolkata edition marks the beginning of Anime India’s nationwide expansion.
Sharing their perspective on the partnership, Amazon MX Player director Aruna Daryanani expressed, “Anime in India has evolved from a niche interest into a mainstream cultural movement, driven by an increasingly engaged and passionate fanbase. At Amazon MX Player, our focus is on expanding access by bringing anime to audiences across the country for free and in multiple local languages. Our association with Anime India reflects our commitment to supporting the growth of anime in India and deepening connections with fans, while continuing to build Amazon MX Player as a trusted destination for free, high-quality entertainment.”
“Anime India Kolkata is a celebration of how anime has grown beyond entertainment into a powerful cultural and creative force. By bringing fans, creators, and industry leaders onto one shared platform, the festival is helping define the future of pop culture in India,” said Anime India co-founder and director Neha Mehta.
The debut edition of Anime India 2025 in Mumbai attracted over 29,000 fans, quickly cementing its status as a landmark celebration of anime and Japanese pop culture. Riding on this overwhelming response, the Kolkata chapter is projected to draw more than 40,000 visitors across two days, positioning it as one of the biggest anime conventions ever held in eastern India.
Anime India is focused on bringing together fans from across the country to create a truly pan-India celebration of anime, manga, cosplay, gaming, and Japanese culture. With plans to expand into four key metropolitan hubs in 2026—east (Kolkata), north (Delhi), west (Mumbai), and south (Hyderabad)—the festival seeks to deliver globally benchmarked experiences while supporting and uplifting creators, artists, and fan communities throughout India.
