India leads GMD 2025 to foster cultural diplomacy & creative partnerships

Time of India

02-05-2025

The Global Media Dialogue (GMD), a government-to-government initiative under the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025, commenced with a resounding call for creativity, cultural preservation, and global collaboration in the evolving media and entertainment landscape. The dialogue witnessed participation from Ministers, Excellencies, Ambassadors, High Commissioners, and delegates from across the world, marking a significant moment for international cultural diplomacy and policy convergence.Indian ministers including Dr S. Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Railways, and Electronics and Information Technology; and Dr L. Murugan, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, were present at the opening session, which set the tone for the deliberations ahead.
Vaishnaw, in his keynote address, underscored the transformative impact of technology on storytelling and content consumption, noting that while the global media and entertainment industry is valued at approximately US$ 3 trillion, its true worth lies in the empathy it cultivates, the ideas it transmits, and the futures it helps shape.
'The true value lies in the empathy that it creates, in the ideas that it conveys, and in the future that it helps us imagine. Today, we invite you to help widen this bridge into an expressway of ideas,' he stated, outlining the three foundational anchors of the dialogue: creativity, culture, and collaboration.
He elaborated that creativity is the bedrock of shared experience and thatgovernments must ensure fair opportunities for creators, including robust support for local content and
intellectual property rights
enforcement.
He added, 'We must incentivize local content promotion and enforce IP rights in a proper framework, among other things that we need to do in creativity. and it connects people across borders.'
Speaking on culture, Vaishnaw emphasised its role in fuelling creativity and fostering cross-border connections, noting a global pivot towards storytelling rooted in local heritage. Regarding collaboration, he highlighted the importance of partnerships—across governments, industries, and creators—through practical steps such as co-production treaties, streamlined licensing, talent mobility, joint funds, and harmonised standards.
Further Jaishankar, reflecting on the broader geopolitical and cultural context, called for a renewed commitment to pluralism and cultural voice in the international system.
'The process of global transformation must also have a cultural dimension,' he asserted. 'We must give voice to our traditions, our heritage, and our creativity.' He further highlighted the interplay between technology and tradition, stating that innovation should build upon, not replace, the cultural foundations of humanity.
Jaishankar laid out five key points for consideration: the need for cultural inclusion in global transformation; leveraging technology as a bridge between past and future; embracing a globalised workforce and creative ecosystem; navigating the information-saturated digital age through compelling storytelling; and addressing the ethical and regulatory dimensions of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
'Reducing bias, democratising content, and prioritising ethics are all part of the emerging discourse,' he remarked.
The ministers reaffirmed that the expected outcome of the dialogue is a constructive declaration that reflects the collective vision of the participating nations.
A draft Global Media Dialogue Declaration, focusing on bridging the
digital divide
, preserving cultural diversity, and fostering fair and
innovative markets, has already been circulated among the delegates for collaborative refinement.
Jaishankar also highlighted the diverse participation at WAVES, which brings together content creators, policymakers, actors, writers, producers, visual artists, and others. He noted that this roundtable discussion, situated on day two of the summit, held particular importance for defining the policy contours of the future media environment.
The
WAVES 2025
summit, with its exhibitions, innovation pavilions, creativity bazaars, and technology kiosks, serves as a unique confluence of policy, industry, and culture.
With the GMD providing a structured platform for shared insights and cooperation, it is poised to lay the groundwork for a more inclusive, technologically empowered, and culturally vibrant global media ecosystem.