India Must Move From Content Consumer to Global Leader in Content Creation: Gajendra Singh Shekhawat
India should move beyond being one of the world’s largest content-consuming markets and focus on becoming a global leader in content creation, Union Minister for Tourism and Culture Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said at the 26th edition of FICCI FRAMES 2026 in Mumbai.
Speaking on the theme India’s Media Moment: Creating Value in an Age of Infinite Content, Shekhawat said the rapid growth of artificial intelligence is changing the media and entertainment industry, but human creativity, originality and trust must remain central to storytelling.
He said the industry could see growing demand over the next two to three years for content created with limited AI involvement and fewer filters, including work that is entirely human-made.
According to Shekhawat, the challenge for the industry is no longer a lack of content. Instead, the focus needs to shift towards originality, meaningful storytelling and building a stronger connection with audiences.
India’s Creative Strength Lies in Its Context
Shekhawat said India has an advantage that extends beyond the amount of content it produces.
“India does not merely possess content, it possesses context,” he said, pointing to the country’s cultural diversity, traditions and long history of storytelling.
He described this cultural and creative strength as India’s creative capital and said it can contribute to the country’s culture, economy, employment, tourism and global presence.
The minister highlighted three areas that he believes should receive greater attention. India needs to move beyond its position as a major content consumer and strengthen its role as a global content creator. The country should also focus on developing original Indian intellectual property rather than relying primarily on the size of its domestic audience.
He further said storytelling and tourism should be connected more closely, allowing stories shown on screen to encourage people to experience the places and culture depicted in them.
Technology Opening New Possibilities for Storytelling
Shekhawat also spoke about emerging technologies and their potential across the creative economy.
He highlighted areas such as animation, visual effects, gaming, extended reality, virtual production and artificial intelligence as new tools for storytelling.
According to the minister, these technologies can help audiences experience history and culture in new ways, including bringing ancient cities to life, providing deeper information about museum objects and creating new forms of engagement for younger audiences.
At the same time, he stressed that technological change should not come at the expense of human creativity.
Industry Calls for More Investment in Indian IP
Prabhat, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, said the government can provide institutions, policy frameworks, platforms and international connections, but the creative economy ultimately depends on creators and industry.
He said the next stage of growth in India’s media and entertainment sector should involve greater investment in original Indian intellectual property and stronger support for emerging writers, musicians, animators, creators and game developers.
Actor and FICCI FRAMES Ambassador Ayushmann Khurrana said digital platforms have made it possible for stories originating in smaller Indian towns to reach audiences across the world.
He pointed to the growing number of creators and platforms as an opportunity for Indian storytelling to reach a much wider global audience.
Anant Goenka, President of FICCI and Vice Chairman of RPG Group, said India needs to convert its large audience and creative scale into long-term value while ensuring that Indian stories retain their cultural identity.
He said creators should have access to the confidence, capital, technology and distribution needed to take Indian stories to international audiences.
Uday Shankar Receives FICCI FRAMES Lifetime Achievement Award
The event also recognised veteran media executive Uday Shankar with the FICCI FRAMES Lifetime Achievement Award.
The award was presented by Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in recognition of Shankar’s contribution and leadership in India’s media and entertainment industry.
Shankar said media continues to play an important role in shaping society’s imagination, aspirations and vision for the future.
Kevin Vaz, Chair of the FICCI Media & Entertainment Committee and CEO of Entertainment at JioStar, said the industry needs an environment that allows innovation and new business models to develop.
He also highlighted the importance of self-regulation and strong industry practices as the sector enters its next phase of growth.
Arjun Nohwar, Co-Chair of the FICCI Media & Entertainment Committee and Managing Director, South Asia, Warner Bros. Discovery, said creators need room to experiment, while technology companies need to build audience trust and investors need to support ideas at an early stage.
Jyoti Vij, Director General, FICCI, was also present at the inaugural session.
