- Government Initiates Dialogue on Live Event and Concert Economy; Secretary, MIB chairs First Meeting of Joint Working Group (JWG) Held in New Delhi
- JWG Brings Together Government and Industry to Promote India’s Live Entertainment Sector, Projected to Create 15–20 Million Jobs and Achieve Top 5 Global Ranking by 2030
- JWG to work in mission mode to harness concert economy as a driver of infrastructure creation, employment, tourism, and cultural soft power : Shri Sanjay Jaju
- Dedicated online Single Window Clearance Mechanism for live events industry to be developed on India Cine Hub platform
The Government of India has formally initiated a structured dialogue to boost the country’s fast-growing live events and concert economy, with the first meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) convened in the capital under the chairmanship of Shri Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB).
The JWG, constituted in July 2025 under the direction of Union Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, aims to position India among the Top 5 global live entertainment destinations by 2030, with the potential to generate 15–20 million jobs and drive growth in infrastructure, tourism, and cultural soft power.
A Collaborative Platform for Growth
The inaugural meeting brought together representatives from multiple central ministries including Information & Broadcasting, Culture, Youth Affairs & Sports, Skill Development, Finance, and DPIIT alongside state officials from Maharashtra, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka.
Industry leaders and associations such as EEMA, FICCI, CII, ILEA, BookMyShow, Wizcraft, Saregama, District by Zomato, and Touchwood Entertainment Ltd., as well as music rights bodies including IPRS, PPL, RMPL, and IMI Trust, participated in the discussions.
Speaking at the session, Shri Jaju emphasized that the live entertainment sector is not just an economic opportunity but also a cultural imperative.
“The JWG will work in mission mode to harness the concert economy as a driver of infrastructure creation, employment, tourism, and cultural influence,” he said.
Key Outcomes of the First Meeting
The JWG laid out a five-pronged roadmap to accelerate the sector’s growth:
- Single Window Clearance: Live event permissions to be integrated into the India Cine Hub Portal for streamlined approvals.
- Music Licensing & IP Rights: Launch of a Centralised Digital Music Licensing Registry by October 2025 in collaboration with rights societies.
- Infrastructure Development: A model policy to promote multi-use of stadiums and public spaces for events, alongside development of greenfield venues.
- Skill Development: Formal inclusion of live entertainment skills in the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF).
- Financial Incentives: Consideration of GST rebates, blended finance, subsidies, and MSME recognition for live entertainment firms.
Why It Matters
India’s live entertainment market, valued at ₹20,861 crore in 2024 and expanding at 15% annually, is one of the fastest-growing segments of the media and entertainment industry. With demand rising across Tier-1 and Tier-2 cities and a surge in music tourism, the sector is poised to become a critical pillar of India’s creative economy.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly underscored the sector’s importance as a driver of jobs, investment, and global cultural outreach. The JWG is expected to build on the government-backed white paper “India’s Live Events Economy: A Strategic Growth Imperative”, presented at the WAVES 2025 Summit, and deliver consolidated policy recommendations in the months ahead.
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