PM sees 'massive scope' for 'concert economy' after Coldplay's tour
What's the story
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has highlighted India's potential as a live events hub, referring to the recent successful tour of British rock band Coldplay.
Addressing the "Utkarsh Odisha - Make in Odisha Conclave 2025" in Bhubaneswar, he referred to the "fabulous pictures" from Coldplay's concerts in Mumbai and Ahmedabad as evidence of this potential.
He said India, with its rich cultural heritage in music, dance and storytelling, is a major consumer of concerts.
Tour success
Coldplay's record-breaking tour in India
Coldplay's Music of The Spheres World Tour featured five sold-out shows in India, including three in Mumbai and two in Ahmedabad.
The last concert at the Narendra Modi Stadium on January 26 broke records with 1,34,000 attendees, becoming India's largest ticketed concert.
The band's frontman Chris Martin charmed audiences by speaking Hindi, Marathi, and Gujarati, even acknowledging Indian celebrities like Shah Rukh Khan and Jasprit Bumrah.
Economy boost
PM Modi's call for infrastructure and skill development
PM Modi urged state governments and the private sector to focus on building infrastructure and developing skills required for a thriving concert economy.
He stressed that live events not only boost tourism but also generate jobs.
"Concert economy gives a boost to the tourism sector and creates jobs," he said, adding that there are emerging opportunities in event management, artist grooming, and security.
Upcoming summit
India to host 1st World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit
The Prime Minister also announced that India will host its first-ever World Audio Visual Entertainment Summit (WAVES) next month.
He hoped that WAVES would put India's creative capabilities on the world stage and drive economic growth.
"A country which has such a rich heritage in music, dance, and storytelling, which has a large pool of youth - a massive consumer base for concerts - there the concert economy has vast opportunities," he said.