India’s fast-growing AVGC industry has received a major boost as Chinese technology company Tencent unveiled a multi-year expansion plan focused on talent development, startup support, and industry growth. The company has committed Rs 10 crore in initial resources and programmes to strengthen India’s Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics ecosystem.
Tencent signed separate 3-year memorandums of understanding with the Services Export Promotion Council (SEPC) and the Game Developers Association of India (GDAI). The partnerships are part of the company’s wider efforts to support India’s growing “Orange Economy”.
“Our goal goes beyond investing in programmes. We want to work with local partners to build practical pathways for talent, creators, and studios,” said Danny Marti, Head of Public Policy and Global Affairs at Tencent. “By combining India’s creative strengths with Tencent’s expertise, we hope to support a more connected and globally competitive AVGC ecosystem.”
Under its partnership with SEPC, Tencent will support national capacity building, promote industry dialogue, and help Indian AVGC companies connect with international value chains.
“The AVGC sector is an important driver of India’s services exports and creative competitiveness,” said Dr. Abhay Sinha, Director General, SEPC, Ministry of Commerce & Industry. “Our future potential collaborations with Tencent will aim to help strengthen industry capabilities and offer more opportunities for Indian companies and professionals in the international market.”
Tencent’s separate agreement with GDAI will focus on grassroots gaming talent development and developer engagement. Planned initiatives include a National Game Jam targeting more than 10,000 students every year, train-the-trainer programmes for educators, and participation in the Indian Game Developers Conference.
“India is at a defining moment in its gaming journey, with the opportunity to emerge as a global hub for game development and interactive entertainment,” said Shruti Verma, CEO of GDAI. “Through this partnership with Tencent, we aim to strengthen the talent pipeline through grassroots skilling, mentorship, and deeper developer engagement.”
According to data cited by Tencent from Niko Partners, India is expected to become the fastest-growing gaming market across Asia and the Middle East and North Africa region. Player spending is projected to reach $1.5 billion by 2028, while the country could have 724 million gamers by 2029.
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