At Karnataka IT & Animation Industry Summit, State Positions Itself as Global AVGC-XR and AI Powerhouse
Bengaluru, NFAPost: Karnataka is staking a decisive claim to global leadership in the “orange economy” — the fast-expanding ecosystem of Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics and Extended Reality (AVGC-XR) — with Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar outlining an ambitious roadmap at the Karnataka IT & Animation Industry Summit.
Addressing delegates from over 42 countries, industry leaders and policymakers, the Deputy Chief Minister declared that Bengaluru is no longer merely India’s tech capital — it is emerging as the epicentre of the next wave of creative-technology convergence.
“This is the state for innovation, this is the state for R&D, this is the place for work, this is a big talent hub,” he said, underscoring Karnataka’s innovation-driven identity.
Bengaluru: India’s Global Technology Engine
The Deputy Chief Minister highlighted Bengaluru’s dominance in the global tech ecosystem. The city currently hosts 875 Global Capability Centres (GCCs) and contributes nearly 1.5 lakh IT professionals and engineers annually to the global workforce.
Recalling his recent participation at Davos, he noted:
“India was being seen through Bengaluru.”
He invited global investors to experience the city’s talent ecosystem, infrastructure and climate firsthand, positioning Karnataka as a destination where innovation meets opportunity.
AVGC-XR: A First-Mover Advantage
Karnataka’s leadership in the AVGC sector traces back to 2016, when it became the first state in Asia to launch a dedicated AVGC policy — years before the sector gained national policy focus.
The state has since attracted over ₹2,000 crore in investments into animation, gaming, real-time content and immersive technologies. Startups and digital studios are witnessing rapid expansion, supported by structured incentives and incubation frameworks.
The Deputy Chief Minister framed this as a deliberate strategy:
“Bengaluru led the IT revolution. Now Bengaluru will lead India’s great technology revolution.”
Ambitious Targets: Talent and Jobs
The government has set aggressive growth benchmarks:
- 15,000 students to be trained by 2028
- 30,000 high-quality jobs to be created in the AVGC-XR ecosystem
- Potential to generate 1.5 lakh jobs across the broader region
- Sector growth projected at 25–30% annually
Karnataka has already trained 6.5 lakh employees in Generative AI, reflecting its push to align creative industries with AI-enabled workflows.
While acknowledging AI’s disruptive power, the Deputy Chief Minister maintained that human creativity and technical skill will remain central.
“AI is transforming everything, but technology skills will always create opportunities.”
Cultural Legacy Meets Digital Future
Invoking India’s ancient storytelling traditions through epics like the Mahabharata and Ramayana, the Deputy Chief Minister suggested that Karnataka’s creative-tech push is rooted in a deep cultural lineage.
The vision: to transform that storytelling heritage into globally exportable digital intellectual property.
Policy Backbone and Industry Support
The government pledged continued support through:
- A streamlined single-window clearance system
- Faster policy approvals
- Strengthened industry-academia partnerships
- Infrastructure expansion for gaming, animation and immersive media
The emphasis was on collaborative growth involving government, investors, academia and industry.
“We all should join together to see that Karnataka grows.”
A Call to Become Global Ambassadors
In his closing remarks, the Deputy Chief Minister urged delegates to act as ambassadors for Karnataka’s innovation ecosystem, spreading the message globally.
The summit signals Karnataka’s determination to lead not just in traditional IT services, but in the next frontier where creativity, artificial intelligence and immersive technology intersect.
If realised, this vision could cement Karnataka’s position as one of the world’s most influential hubs in the evolving orange economy — where art, code and commerce converge to shape the digital future.
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