The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has invited industry-driven challenge proposals under Create in India Challenge Season 2, placing WAVES 2027 within India's wider creator-economy push.

The official release said recognised industry bodies and associations can submit proposals through a dedicated portal. The ministry has set 31 July 2026 as the submission deadline.

Media economy

The proposed challenge areas cover artificial intelligence, digital and social media, animation, visual effects, online social gaming, e-sports, comics, extended reality, augmented reality, virtual reality, film, broadcasting, music and dance.

The design is notable because it tries to use competitive challenges to identify talent, products and formats rather than only organising a conventional festival. Selected challenges may receive grants of up to Rs 1 crore, and winners are expected to be showcased at Creatosphere during WAVES 2027.

Quality bar

The test will be in execution. Challenge rules must be transparent, jury standards must be clear, and public funding should reward original work rather than recycled pitch decks or shallow promotional campaigns.

If run with strong selection standards, the programme can help India build a more serious pipeline in animation, VFX, gaming and immersive media. That matters because these sectors combine culture, technology, design, software skills and export potential.

The challenge model can also connect creators with business discipline. Teams that work on game prototypes, animation tools, AI workflows or immersive media need feedback on intellectual property, distribution, audience testing and monetisation.

Public support for entertainment technology should avoid becoming a subsidy for publicity events. Its value will be higher if winners receive mentoring, market access and measurable follow-through after the WAVES platform ends.

A stronger creator economy also requires regional participation. If submissions come from smaller cities, state film bodies, student groups and independent studios, the programme can widen the talent base beyond established production centres.

Source: release dated 13 July 2026, Release ID 2284251.