India reaffirmed its ambition to emerge as the “studio of the world” as the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) hosted a high-level Ambassadors’ Roundtable on Friday, bringing together envoys and senior diplomats to explore deeper collaborations in filmmaking, co-production, and creative-economy partnerships. The meeting, held on November 21 in Goa, focused on strengthening cultural and technological synergy with partner nations.

According to a PIB press release, the roundtable was designed as a dedicated platform for India and participating countries to exchange ideas on expanding bilateral audio-visual cooperation, easing regulatory frameworks, and enhancing cross-border creative mobility. The discussion centred on co-production treaties, economic opportunities in the creative sector, and the growing potential of India’s talent and technology landscape.

Delivering the welcome remarks, Sanjay Jaju, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, highlighted the rapid expansion of India’s media ecosystem and its emergence as an increasingly attractive production hub. He said the dialogue would “help in strengthening cultural ties and deepening partnerships,” pointing to India’s multilingual creative workforce, world-class animation and VFX studios, and diverse outdoor locations that allow global stories to be told with authenticity and scale. Jaju also urged delegates to engage with the WAVES Film Bazaar, IFFI’s flagship marketplace, and noted that working with India offers unparalleled access to a vast global diaspora.

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr. L. Murugan, who chaired the session, underscored co-production as “the most powerful avenue for strengthening audio-visual cooperation.” He said India’s media and entertainment sector is expected to reach USD 31.6 billion in 2025, driven by rapid growth in next-generation production technologies. Dr. Murugan highlighted how bilateral agreements streamline permissions, enhance talent mobility, and create smoother pathways for joint content development. He also referred to India’s strengthened anti-piracy measures, enabled through collaboration with MeiTY, MHA and the Ministry of Law, aimed at creating a more secure environment for global productions.

In a detailed presentation that followed, Shruti Rajkumar, Consultant at NFDC, outlined India’s evolving anti-piracy ecosystem, including new technological tools and policy mechanisms aimed at curbing digital leakages and safeguarding creators’ rights.

Ambassadors and diplomats from Cuba, Nepal, Israel, Guyana, Australia, Ireland, Morocco, Togo and Côte d’Ivoire participated in the roundtable, sharing insights into their national film industries and expressing strong interest in co-producing with India’s creative and technical talent pool. Many highlighted India’s strengths in post-production, visual effects and storytelling, noting that expanding partnerships would mutually enrich cinematic cultures across regions.

The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks by Rajesh Parihar, Director (XPD), Ministry of External Affairs, who acknowledged the contributions of the diplomats and reiterated India’s commitment to fostering a collaborative global audio-visual environment. With renewed interest from partner countries, the Ambassadors’ Roundtable at IFFI 2025 marked a significant step toward building stronger bilateral ties and shaping a shared future for international storytelling.