Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw unveils three new initiatives to promote ‘orange economy’

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday, March 23, 2026, announced three new initiatives aimed at strengthening India’s media, publishing and digital sector and promoting the ‘orange economy’ or creative economy.

The creative economy includes industries where economic value is generated primarily from creativity, culture, technology and intellectual property.

The three initiatives are called the National AI Skills Initiative, run through the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) in partnership with Google and YouTube; MyWAVES, a citizen creator platform on WAVES OTT; and the introduction of improved Electronic Program Guide (EPG) and satellite receivers built into television sets to improve access to DD Free Dish services.

Key media and entertainment industry representatives, YouTube India president and senior Ministry officials attended the event.

Underlining Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to democratize technology, Mr. Vaishnaw said the initiatives will make technology more affordable and accessible. He said that thanks to the built-in satellite receivers and advanced program guide, citizens can now easily access content without the need for additional equipment.

He described MyWAVES as a powerful platform for content creators that allows them to create, upload and share content. Referring to the Union Budget announcements, he underlined the government’s commitment to promote the “Orange Economy” and support the creative sector.

Free training of AI skills

The Union Minister said that around 15,000 youth will be trained without any fee under the National Artificial Intelligence Skills Initiative implemented with the support of YouTube. He talked about the “Creators Corner” program and urged content creators to actively use Doordarshan and platforms like MyWAVES to showcase India’s rich culture, traditions and regional diversity. Union Information and Broadcasting Secretary Sanjay Jaju said the initiatives reflect a common policy direction.

Speaking about the impact of the partnership on creators, YouTube India managing director Gunjan Soni said: “We believe that AI has the potential to create remarkable opportunities for India’s dynamic creative economy. Through our collaboration with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and IICT, we aim to equip creators and professionals with the skills needed to master the tools of the future, leverage AI to tell more engaging stories, expand their reach to new audiences, and play a role in shaping the future of media.”

The AI ​​skills program will be carried out in two phases: Phase I from March 23 to June 30, 2026, and Phase II from July to December 2026.

The first phase will focus on foundational AI learning at scale through Google Career Certificates and Google Cloud Generative AI learning paths. Participants will attend courses such as Fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence, Fundamentals of Demanding, Introduction to Generative AI, and Generative AI Leader Path. Successful completion of this stage will be mandatory to move on to the next stage.

The second phase will include advanced, applied and project-based specialization for the creative industry. The curriculum will include modules on the art of storytelling, YouTube best practices, and advanced training using artificial intelligence tools such as Gemini 3, Nano Banana, Veo, and Vertex AI.