Mumbai May 1 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first-ever Waves Summit (World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit) in Mumbai on Thursday.

The four-day event will bring together the entire spectrum of the media and entertainment industry. It is being organized at Bandra Kurla Complex ( BKC).

Modi greeted the people in Maharashtra on the state day in Marathi. He also greeted the Gujaratis in the state language.

Addressing the gathering, the PM said the investors and policymakers from more than 100 countries have come together under one roof. Today, the seeds of global talent and global ecosystem are being planted here, he added. "WAVES is a wave that is a bridge of culturalism and global connectivity," he said.

"While the influence of technology is increasing, special efforts need to be made to keep human sensibilities awake. There is a need to make humans more sensitive, unlike robots. For thousands of years, songs, music and dance have been helping us and we have to live on the same basis in the coming times", said the Prime Minister.

The country is currently witnessing the emergence of an 'orange' economy -- focusing on the value that creativity adds to goods and services, meaning it not only generates income but also promotes intangible wealth based on ideas, designs, and cultural expressions.

The PM said that content, creativity and culture will play an important role. He said efforts were being made by the government for this.

"This will help increase the share of creative economy in the country's GDP. India is a country of billions of stories. The challenge before us is to present these stories to the world for the coming generation. The WAVES conference will play an important role in it", he said.

He pointed out that this will provide opportunities to the youth from every corner of the country.

UNI SP PRS