New Delhi, Feb 16:
In a major push for India’s digital and creative leadership, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has officially opened its pavilion at the India AI Impact Summit 2026. Hosted at Bharat Mandapam, the pavilion serves as a high-tech nerve center for AI-driven media, featuring a landmark partnership with Adobe to showcase the future of storytelling.
The summit, which runs from February 16–20, 2026, marks the first time this global event is being hosted in the Global South. It aims to position India as a hub for “Responsible AI” and a service provider to the world.
Kathāvatār: folklore Meets AI
The centerpiece of the MIB-Adobe collaboration is Kathāvatār, a curated series of five AI-generated short films inspired by Indian folklore. These films demonstrate how artificial intelligence can preserve cultural heritage while pushing the boundaries of cinematic craft.
The ‘Made-in-India’ AI Short Film Lineup: Language of Birds, Migoi, Uttarayan, The Barber’s Secret and Yappasauras.
These films are being screened at the AI Theatre, a first-of-its-kind immersive space featuring 270-degree projections that surround the audience in a 3D narrative environment.
WAVES Creators Corner: 51 Startups Taking the Stage
The India AI Impact Expo 2026 is hosting the WAVES Creators Corner, where 51 handpicked startups from the AVGC-XR (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality) sector are demonstrating cutting-edge innovations.
Key Tech Highlights:
-
The Bhasha-Wall: An AI-powered system providing instant multilingual dubbing and sign language avatars to bridge linguistic gaps.
-
Zero-Touch Autonomous Newsroom: A revolutionary platform for automated news production and broadcasting.
-
Samvad Setu & The Director’s Chair: Interactive AI experiences that allow users to simulate high-level directing and communication workflows.
-
Conversational Humanoids: Next-gen robots designed for the hospitality and service sectors.
Expert Insights & Masterclasses
The pavilion is not just about displays; it is a hub for knowledge exchange. Renowned filmmaker Shekhar Kapur is slated to lead a masterclass on AI-powered storytelling, exploring how filmmaker workflows are evolving in the age of generative tech.
Industry giants including Google, AWS, Sony Research India, and Pocket FM are participating in panels focused on content monetization and the development of responsible AI frameworks.
“India is transitioning from AI pilots to large-scale deployment. This summit is where imagination meets implementation,” noted an official at the MIB Pavilion.
The Future of Creativity
With the launch of the Content Creation Hub powered by Adobe, the Ministry aims to empower a new generation of creators. These tools are designed to enable faster production and scalable content development, ensuring that Indian creators stay at the forefront of the global media economy.
