Siddaramaiah envisions Karnataka as global leader in animation and gaming, targeting 30,000 jobs by 2028

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Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah articulated the state’s vision to position itself as a global innovation leader in animation, visual effects, gaming, comics, and extended reality (AVGC-XR) technologies. Speaking at the Bengaluru GAFX event, he talked about plans to transform Karnataka into a center of excellence for AVGC-related skills, with the goal of generating 30,000 high-quality jobs in the sector by 2028. The state aims for exports to constitute at least 80% of the sector’s total revenue, fostering sustainability and inclusivity within the AVGC industry.

The 5th edition of Bengaluru GAFX is set to become the focal point for animation, VFX, and gaming enthusiasts, as it draws in studios, production houses, industry veterans, students, academia, and technology partners over the next three days.

The event serves as a platform for the convergence of animation, VFX, and game studios, as well as industry professionals and technology partners. Karnataka, already a key hub for animation and AVDC services, holds a 20% share of the Indian entertainment and AVDC industry, with 300 studios employing over 16,000 professionals.

As reported by Money Control, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar emphasized the transformative potential of technology in education, incorporating user-friendly animations and artificial intelligence. “We aim to create a robust talent pool by transforming the state into a center of excellence for AVGC-related skills. Our goal is to generate 30,000 new high-quality jobs in the sector by 2028, ensure that exports constitute at least 80 percent of the sector’s total revenue, and foster sustainability and inclusivity within the AVGC industry,” he said at the fifth edition of Bengaluru GAFX.

In November 2023, the Karnataka government released the draft biotechnology and animation, visual effects, gaming, comics, and extended reality policy.

“Recognising the global and national surge in these industries, the policy aims to leverage Karnataka’s existing strengths in IT and BPM to establish the state as a global leader in AVGC-XR,” Siddaramaiah said.

He further detailed the six strategic pillars of the policy, covering skill development for a future-ready workforce, creation of sustainable infrastructure, empowering startups and MSMEs, provision for global market access and business development, incentives, concessions, and financial support, and a focus on ‘Mobile First’ AVGC products.

“Over the next three days, the event will witness a convergence of animation, VFX, and game studios, production houses, industry veterans, professional students, academia, and technology partners. Karnataka has grown to be a key hub for animation services, AVDC services, and game developers, accounting for a 20 percent share of the Indian entertainment and AVDC industry. A total of 300 animation, VFX, and gaming studios operate in Karnataka, employing over 16,000 professionals,” Karnataka Electronics, IT and BT secretary Ekroop Caur said.

DK Shivakumar, the deputy chief minister, highlighted the transformative potential of technology in education through user-friendly animations and the integration of artificial intelligence in the industry. He expressed confidence in the industry’s ability to enhance government services and emphasized Bengaluru’s leading role in the gaming space.

Shivakumar also said that ongoing discussions with the Union government to align the newly drafted policy with industry needs. “Our policies are designed to encourage innovation, attract investment, and reflect the cultural richness of Karnataka,” he said.

Nivruti Rai, Managing Director and Chief Executive of Invest India, acknowledged India’s success in the media and entertainment industry, projecting a revenue of $35 billion by 2025. Rai highlighted the impressive growth of the animation and visual effects sector, reaching $3 billion from $1.5 billion in just two years. She expressed the ambition to increase India’s contribution to the global audio-video services market from 2% to 20%.

Biren Ghose, ABAI president and country head of Technicolor India, praised the continuous growth of the AVGC industry. He commended events like GAFX for bringing together studios, producers, and investors, describing GAFX as a platform where innovation meets opportunity, shaping the future of India’s creative narrative on a global scale.

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