Centre, States Step Up Coordination to Boost India’s Creative Economy and Media Sector

New Delhi, August 25, 2026: The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting convened a national-level meeting with Information and Public Relations (I&PR) Secretaries and senior officials from States and Union Territories in New Delhi on Tuesday, focusing on stronger Centre-State coordination in media, broadcasting, public communication and the creative economy.

The meeting, chaired by Information & Broadcasting Secretary Chanchal Kumar, reviewed several initiatives aimed at expanding India’s creative ecosystem and improving collaboration between the Centre and States.

Emphasising the growing role of the creative economy, Kumar said India’s cultural diversity, regional talent and institutional strengths should be leveraged to create employment opportunities, attract investments and enhance the country’s global influence. He noted that States and UTs would require approaches suited to their individual strengths rather than a uniform model.

The discussions covered a broad range of issues, including WAVES 2027, WAVES Bazaar, WaveX and the Create in India Challenges, which are intended to connect creators and emerging businesses with markets, investors, technology and international opportunities.

Officials also discussed the implementation of the Right of Way mechanism for cable operators, expansion of Public Service Broadcasting infrastructure, greater use of regional content and promotion of creative material generated by users on the Waves OTT platform.

Another key area of discussion was the integration of the Indian Cine Hub (ICH) and Film Facilitation Office (FFO) portals, along with the proposed use of the single-window ICH platform for permissions related to film shoots and live events.

The conference also examined ways to strengthen public broadcasting through co-produced content, State-specific programmes and wider public outreach. The live events industry, professional training for DIPR officials through IIMC facilities and digitalisation under the Press and Registration of Periodicals Act, 2023 were also discussed.

The Ministry highlighted the role of the Press Sewa Portal in supporting the transition towards a digital framework for the media and publication sector. Strengthening libraries through book distribution to States under the Samagra Shiksha framework also formed part of the deliberations.

Kumar called for closer coordination among PIB Regional Offices, State I&PR Departments, Doordarshan and Akashvani to develop State-specific content and expand outreach. He also invited States and UTs to propose new ideas and partnership models that could contribute to the growth of India’s creative economy.

Senior officials from the Ministry, along with representatives from States and Union Territories, participated in the conference, reflecting a joint effort to strengthen cooperation in India’s evolving media and creative sectors.