Bengaluru is a city where creativity finds capital, says Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at GAFX 2026
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in his statement after inaugurating the 7th edition of the state-sponsored GAFX – Games, Animation and Visual Effects – conference in Bengaluru on February 27, said that Bengaluru is not only the technology capital of India, but a city where imagination meets engineering, art meets algorithms and creativity finds capital.
From software to space exploration, biotechnology to deep technology, Bengaluru has always been at the forefront of revolutions, he said.
“Today, GAFX represents the next big frontier. The Games, Animation and Visual Effects industry is no longer a small creative industry. In the age of the digital revolution, immersive media, streaming platforms, e-sports and extended reality, GAFX is shaping how humanity experiences stories, culture, education and even management,” the Prime Minister said while addressing a packed audience of industry players, AVGC-XR experts and students.
“This crackdown signals that we are not only joining this revolution in Karnataka but leading it.
“Karnataka’s commitment to the AVGC-XR sector is not new or reactive. We are pioneers,” he claimed, revealing that in 2017, Karnataka became the first State in India to implement a dedicated AVGC policy. “This decision was made with foresight, recognizing that content creation will become as powerful as code creation.”
Participants make a clay portrait of renowned sculptor Ram V. Sutar during GAFX 2026 held at Lalit Ashok in Bengaluru on February 27, 2026. | Photo Credit: ALLEN EGENUSE J
Participants make a clay portrait of renowned sculptor Ram V. Sutar during GAFX 2026 held at Lalit Ashok in Bengaluru on February 27, 2026. | Photo Credit: ALLEN EGENUSE J
According to Mr. Siddaramaiah, Karnataka is currently implementing its third AVGC-XR Policy for the period 2024-29, reflecting not only continuity in governance but also continued commitment to strengthen this sector. “Our AVGC-XR policy has provided incentives, infrastructure support, skill development initiatives, incubation systems and corporate collaboration to nurture this ecosystem,” he informed the audience.
Reimagining state tourism through AR
The Prime Minister said his government is currently reimagining the tourism sector through Augmented Reality, enabling immersive digital tours of heritage and tourist destinations for deeper learning, interaction and understanding.
“We are also integrating comprehensive AVGC-XR technologies into education, enhancing medical education through simulation and digitally preserving the history and cultural heritage of Karnataka for future generations. We believe that growth must be geographically and socially inclusive, enable people and empower ideas. Growth must reach every region, unlock every talent and enable every idea to thrive,” he said.
AVGC-XR will create 20 lakh jobs in 5 years
Mr. Siddaramaiah said that this sector, which has the potential to create 20 lakh jobs in the next 5 years, can create employment in design, coding, storytelling, music, motion capture, artificial intelligence modeling and production management and also integrate art, mathematics, psychology and technology.
“Today, young people in Karnataka are no longer just job seekers. They are creators of worlds: virtual worlds, cinematic worlds and Interactive worlds”SiddaramaiahPrime Minister, Karnataka
“Our young creators are already working on global cinema projects, international game series and world-class animation pipelines. Karnataka’s talent is contributing to Hollywood, global OTT platforms, international gaming studios and next-generation immersive experiences,” he added.
Visitors explore a sensor-based drone handling experiment during GAFX 2026 at Lalit Ashok in Bengaluru on February 27, 2026. | Photo Credit: ALLEN EGENUSE J
‘Make AVGC-XR skills part of general training’
He emphasized that the government is committed to fueling this momentum through structured skill development and therefore universities, engineering colleges, design schools and polytechnics should integrate AVGC-XR skills into general education.
The Prime Minister stated that the GAFX sector is not only an economic opportunity but also an opportunity for civilization, adding: “It allows young people to turn imagination into livelihood. It allows storytellers to digitize folklore. It allows rural talent to create global content from small towns with just a laptop and connection.”
Addressing the youth of Karnataka, he said, “Youth in Karnataka today are no longer just job seekers. They are creators of worlds; virtual worlds, cinematic worlds and Interactive worlds.”
It was published – 27 February 2026 13:01 IST
