Kerala Aims To Develop Itself As AVGC-XR Hub

The Kerala government has proposed to formulate a comprehensive policy for AVGC-XR (animation, visual effects, gaming, comics and extended reality), a technology with immense potential for the state to emerge as a knowledge-based economy.

On Friday (January 12), the Kerala Startup Mission said that the draft AVGC-XR policy would be made public to gather feedback and suggestions from various stakeholders, including the public, experts, professionals and investors.

Kerala has huge scope to emerge as a global AVGC-XR hub, considering its capabilities in the technology domain and the government’s far-sighted and transformational initiatives, according to a statement.

The government’s objective is to shape the proposed policy into a clear and transformative framework that propels the state forward. To achieve this, the views and suggestions of a diverse group of informed individuals, including CEOs of global companies, investors, professionals, academics, and students, will be actively sought and compiled.

The policy will set a target of creating 50,000 jobs in AVGC-XR in the state by 2029, by facilitating at least 250 firms including multinational companies.

The policy aims to enable the state to claim at least 10% of the export of AVGC-XR-based products and services from the country.

A total of 150 AVGC-XR startups are set to be incubated as part of the initiative. Besides, AVGC-XR labs will be integrated into the work-near-home project of K-DISC (Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council). To serve as a hub for AVGC-XR activities, a 20-acre site in Thiruvananthapuram will be designated for the establishment of a centre of excellence.

Earlier in September, Tamil Nadu’s Information Technology and Digital Services Minister, P T R Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, said that the state would soon launch the Tamil Nadu-Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics Policy.

“This is one sector that has potential at the global level. We are collating inputs for this policy and after the chief minister’s approval, the policy will be announced,” he said.

The central government has also been taking a few initiatives for the selector lately. In February 2022, the government announced formation of an AVGC task force, which was later constituted in April under the aegis of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

India has the potential to capture 5% (~$40 Bn) of the global market share by the year 2025, with an annual growth of around 25-30% and creating over 1,60,000 new jobs annually, the government said earlier.