Bengaluru is a city where creativity finds capital, says Chief Minister Siddaramaiah at GAFX 2026

Bengaluru is not merely India’s technology capital, it is a city where imagination meets engineering, where art meets algorithms and a city where creativity finds capital, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated after inaugurating the 7th edition of the State-sponsored GAFX – Games, Animation and Visual Effects – conference in Bengaluru on February 27

From software to space research, from biotech to deep-tech, Bengaluru has always been at the frontier of revolutions, he said.

“Today, GAFX represents the next great frontier. The Games, Animation and Visual Effects sector is no longer a small creative industry. In the era of digital revolution, immersive media, streaming platforms, e-sports, and extended reality, GAFX is shaping how humanity experiences stories, culture, education and even governance,“ the Chief Minister said while addressing a packed audience of industry players, AVGC-XR experts and students.

“This edition signals that Karnataka is not just participating in this revolution, we are leading it.

“Karnataka’s commitment to the AVGC-XR sector is not recent or reactive. We have been pioneers,” he claimed, elaborating that, in 2017, Karnataka became the first State in India to implement a dedicated AVGC policy. “That decision was driven by foresight, recognising that content creation would become as powerful as code creation.”

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 a sustained commitment to strengthening this sector. “Our AVGC-XR policy has provided incentives, infrastructure support, skill-building initiatives, incubation systems, and institutional collaboration to nurture this ecosystem,” he informed the audience.

To reimagine State’s tourism through AR

The Chief 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, engagement and understanding.

“We are also integrating immersive AVGC-XR technologies into education, advancing medical training through simulation, and digitally preserving Karnataka’s history and cultural heritage for future generations. We believe growth must be geographically and socially inclusive, enabling people and empowering ideas. Growth must reach every region, unlocking every talent, and empowering every idea to flourish,“ he stated.

AVGC-XR to create 20 lakh jobs in 5 years

With the potential to create 20 lakh jobs in the next 5 years, this sector can generates employment across design, coding, storytelling, music, motion capture, AI modelling and production management, and it also integrates art, mathematics, psychology and technology, Mr Siddaramaiah said.

“Young people in Karnataka today are no longer only job-seekers. They are creators of worlds – virtual worlds, cinematic worlds and Interactive worlds”SiddaramaiahChief Minister, Karnataka

“Our young creators are already working on global cinema projects, international gaming franchises 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.

‘Make AVGC-XR skills part of mainstream education’

State is committed to nurture this momentum through structured skill development and, therefore, universities, engineering colleges, design schools, and polytechnics must integrate AVGC-XR skills into mainstream education, he urged.

The GAFX sector is not only an economic opportunity, rather it was a civilisational opportunity, the Chief Minister commented adding, “It empowers youth to transform imagination into livelihood. It enables storytellers to digitise folklore. It allows rural talent to create global content from small towns with only a laptop and connectivity.”

Addressing the youth of Karnataka, he said, “Young people in Karnataka today are no longer only job-seekers. They are creators of worlds – virtual worlds, cinematic worlds and Interactive worlds.”

Published – February 27, 2026 01:01 pm IST