Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur yesterday said that given the talent and volume of film and media content produced in the country, India will soon become the “third largest media and entertainment industry in the world”.

He made the observations while inaugurating the VFX and Tech Pavilion that is part of the ongoing 54th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa, and added that the government was committed to make India a global hub for VFX.

Established for the first time within the 54^th IFFI, the VFX and Tech Pavilion will showcase some of the most dynamic, immersive and cutting edge advances in film-making technology in the field of animation, visual effects, virtual reality and CGI, an official government statement stated.

In a post on X, Thakur said, “With a focus on visual effects, animation, and cutting-edge technologies that have seen partnerships with well-known platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Google Arts and others, this is unquestionably the high point of this year’s #IFFI.

“In addition to improving the viewing experience, this project is a step towards expanding the audience, highlighting the diverse cultural landscape, and as part of our unwavering commitment to nurture & uplift talent and support the future of cinema.”

The Minister, according to the official statement, while pointing out that the country is embracing new technological interventions and innovations in film production, said, “India is the most sought-after destination for film shoots and post production, backed by the talent of our youth and children and the innovation of our industry leaders.’’

Highlighting the role of new technological interventions, the Minister said, “India is a country of storytelling and people like and consume immersive, creative and original content.’’

He said that India is a hub of post-production, adding that the newly established VFX and Tech Pavilion will “further augment the post production in film making’’.

Later, the Minister went round the pavilion checking out  various sections, including Cine Museum and Viewing Zones of Amazon Prime and Netflix, among others. He took a demonstration of full-frame Cinema Line Cameras of Sony.

Some of the participating brands in the VFX, Tech Pavillion include Google Arts and Culture, Netflix and Amazon.