The Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) signed five Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on 30 September at FICCI FRAMES 2026, partnering with the Motion Picture Association (MPA) India, the Centre for Development of Imaging Technology (C-DIT) Kerala, the E-Sports Games Federation (ESGF), RioWood, and Warm Up Ventures. The signings, held at the Grand Hyatt, Mumbai, mark a significant push to bridge academia and industry within India's fast-growing AVGC-XR (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality) sector.

Key Developments at FICCI FRAMES 2026

The MoUs were formalised on the second and final day of FICCI FRAMES 2026, which ran across 29 and 30 September at the Grand Hyatt, Mumbai. The signing ceremony took place in the presence of Ashish Shelar, Minister of Electronics, Information Technology, AI and Cultural Affairs, Government of Maharashtra, along with senior industry representatives and institutional stakeholders.

Among the objectives outlined, the partnerships are expected to facilitate knowledge exchange, expand industry exposure for students, and support the establishment of the Kerala State Centre of Excellence for AVGC-XR in Thiruvananthapuram.

What the Government Said

Addressing the gathering, Ashish Shelar said, 'India is uniquely positioned to lead the next transformation in media and entertainment.' He elaborated: 'The real opportunity lies in building an ecosystem — one that creates professional talent, content creators, broadcasters, developers, technologists, innovators, and entrepreneurs. The future belongs not just to those who consume entertainment, but to those who build the intellectual, creative, and technological ecosystem around it.'

IICT's Vision for Creative Technology

Ashish Kulkarni, Founding Director of IICT, stated that the new partnerships reinforce IICT's commitment to building a future-ready creative technology ecosystem. Dr. Vishwas Deoskar, Chief Executive Officer of IICT, added, 'IICT is focused on building meaningful connections between education, industry and technology. These partnerships will provide our students and emerging creators with greater exposure to international practices, industry-led learning and real-world opportunities.'

Global Industry Backing

Urmila Venugopalan, President and Managing Director, Asia Pacific, Motion Picture Association, noted that the collaboration had its roots in a fireside chat between MPA Chairman and CEO Charlie Rivkin and Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw at the AI Impact Summit in February this year, where the Creative Economy track was launched. 'This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to supporting India's creative economy and ensuring that emerging talent has meaningful opportunities to engage with the global film, television and streaming industry,' she said.

This comes amid a broader national push to position India as a global hub for content creation and digital entertainment, with the AVGC-XR sector increasingly seen as a strategic priority for employment generation and export earnings. The formalisation of a Kerala Centre of Excellence signals that the initiative has multi-state institutional backing, extending its reach well beyond Maharashtra.