Govt Sets Roadmap to Make India Top 5 Global Live Events Hub by 2030

The Government of India convened the first meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) on Promotion of the Live Events Industry at the National Media Centre, New Delhi, chaired by Shri Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB). The initiative marks a decisive step in unlocking the vast potential of India’s live entertainment sector as a driver of jobs, investment, tourism, and cultural influence.

Vision: Concert Economy as a Growth Engine

In his recent addresses, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had highlighted the untapped potential of the live entertainment sector, calling it a vital part of India’s creative economy. Responding to this vision, the JWG was constituted in July 2025 under the direction of Union I&B Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw to create a mission-mode framework for building India’s concert economy.

The Government aims to position India among the Top 5 global live entertainment destinations by 2030, with the capacity to generate 15–20 million jobs and establish live entertainment as a pillar of India’s cultural soft power.

Broad Participation Across Sectors

The inaugural meeting witnessed wide representation from Central and State governments, industry associations, and private stakeholders:

• Government Ministries: Information & Broadcasting, Culture, Youth Affairs & Sports, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Finance, DPIIT, and Sports Authority of India.

• State Governments: Maharashtra, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka.

• Industry Associations: EEMA, FICCI, CII, ILEA.

• Private Sector & Event Companies: BookMyShow, Wizcraft, Saregama, District by Zomato, Touchwood Entertainment Ltd.

• Music Rights Societies: IPRS, PPL, RMPL, and IMI Trust.

This multi-stakeholder representation underscored the Government’s whole-of-ecosystem approach to developing India’s live events sector.

Key Outcomes of the First JWG Meeting

1. Single-Window Clearance: Integration of live event clearances into the India Cine Hub Portal to ensure seamless permissions and ease of doing business.

2. Music Licensing & IP Rights: A Centralised Digital Music Licensing Registry will be launched by October 2025, streamlining rights management and royalty flows in collaboration with music rights societies.

3. Infrastructure Development:

• A model policy to enable multi-use of stadiums and public spaces for concerts.

• Promotion of greenfield venue development in partnership with state governments.

4. Skill Development: Live entertainment skills to be included in the National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF), aligning workforce training with industry demand.

5. Financial Incentives: Exploration of GST rebates, blended finance models, subsidies, and MSME recognition for the live entertainment sector to lower costs and attract investments.

Secretary’s Address: Live Entertainment as Soft Power

Shri Sanjay Jaju reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to creating a globally competitive live entertainment ecosystem, noting that India’s youth demographics, cultural diversity, and digital adoption uniquely position the country to be a leader.

"The Joint Working Group will operate in mission mode to transform India’s concert economy into a driver of infrastructure creation, employment generation, tourism growth, and global cultural influence," he said.

Path Forward: Building India’s Concert Economy

The JWG will continue to meet regularly to:

• Develop policy roadmaps for venue development and rights management.

• Strengthen international collaborations to bring world-class acts to India.

• Encourage regional events that showcase India’s linguistic and cultural diversity.

• Promote sustainability practices in live entertainment venues.

By 2030, India envisions world-class venues, simplified regulations, and a vibrant creative ecosystem, enabling the country to stand shoulder to shoulder with global leaders like the US, UK, and South Korea in the live entertainment industry.