Move in line with increasing India’s global share in the $300 billion global gaming market

MoU to focus on bridging talent gap in the sector by training professionals in coding, animation, game design

Interactive entertainment sector poised to grow over $60 billion by 2034 and create over 2 million jobs as per USISPF Report

In a major thrust  to redefine India’s enviable position in the global gaming industry, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with WinZO, India’s largest social gaming and interactive entertainment platform. This first-of-its-kind collaboration will focus on building a robust ecosystem of over 2,000 startups, innovators, and students, providing them with mentorship, industry insights, and access to global opportunities. By aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat in gaming and technology, this initiative will go a long way  to establish India as a global leader in interactive entertainment, capturing a significant share of the $300 billion global gaming market.

Joint Secretary, DPIIT,Shri Sanjiv Singh said that the  MoU focuses on bridging the talent gap in the sector by equipping professionals with cutting-edge skills in coding, animation, game design, and development. According to a recent USISPF report, India’s interactive entertainment sector is projected to grow to $60 billion by 2034, creating over 2 million jobs. The DPIIT-WinZO partnership is designed to harness this potential by nurturing startups through hackathons, workshops, accelerator programs, and curated pitch events. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) spanning over two years also aims to accelerate the growth of India’s interactive entertainment sector by fostering innovation, creating skilled talent, and scaling startups to compete on a global stage.

Besides, the essence of this collaboration is the establishment of a Center of Excellence (CoE) by WinZO, in sync with DPIIT. The CoE will serve as a launchpad for startups and entrepreneurs, focusing on critical aspects such as building a skilled, industry-ready workforce, innovating monetization strategies for Indian gaming assets, developing ‘Made in India’ intellectual property for global markets of world-class quality, attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) and driving manufacturing of interactive technology products in India. By addressing long-standing challenges such as monetization and talent gaps, the CoE will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of India’s gaming and interactive entertainment industry.

Additionally, the MoU will expand WinZO’s flagship Tech Triumph Program (Bharat Edition), a platform for identifying and mentoring India’s top game developers. This program has already showcased India’s gaming talent at global forums such as the Game Developers Conference (GDC) and Gamescom LATAM, and will now scale its impact through DPIIT’s support.

Shri Sanjiv Singh added that this partnership is a significant milestone in harnessing India’s  optimal potential as a producer and exporter. Through the collaboration with WinZO, efforts are afoot  to foster innovation, promote entrepreneurship, and empower startups to manufacture products of global standards. This initiative aligns with our vision of making India a leader in interactive technology, contributing meaningfully to PM Modi’s vision of a self-reliant India, added Mr. Sanjiv.  

Memorandum of Understanding to build startup ecosystems and bridge the talent gap in interactive entertainment through training and incubation. A two year Memorandum of Understanding establishes a public private collaboration to support a large cohort of interactive entertainment startups via mentorship, hackathons, workshops, accelerator programs and a developer mentoring initiative, while bridging the talent gap through training in coding, animation, game design and development. The MoU also provides for a Center of Excellence to advance workforce readiness, monetization strategies, indigenous intellectual property development, attraction of foreign investment, and manufacturing of interactive technology products to scale startups for global markets.