Govt aims to double concert economy, simplify event permissions in India

The I&B Ministry will launch a single-window platform to ease concert permissions as India attracts major global artists and sees record live event growth

With India increasingly attracting global artistes, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) is working to simplify the process of setting up concerts in the country. “We are looking at doubling the concert economy,” said Sanjay Jaju, secretary, I&B ministry, in his keynote address at Ficci Frames 2025, emphasising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for a vibrant concert economy in India.

 

“We have many icons performing globally — the likes of Diljit Dosanjh, Arijit Singh… They are performing to packed stadia worldwide. There are concerts happening in India as well, which have a huge direct and indirect impact on the economy. We are trying to do a lot to ease the process of hosting concerts in our country,” Jaju added.

 

One such initiative involves revamping the India Cine Hub website to create a single-window platform for concerts, streamlining the process of securing the various permissions required. A beta version of this initiative is expected by the end of October, in time for the upcoming concert season starting in November.

 

This announcement comes days after the alternative rock band Smashing Pumpkins cancelled its first-ever performance in India due to logistical issues. “Due to unexpected logistical challenges and conditions beyond our control, we have to cancel our two upcoming shows in Bengaluru and Mumbai. We cannot perform these shows to the standards that we and our fans expect,” the band said in a statement on Facebook.

 

In 2024, India’s organised live event segment grew by 15 per cent, generating an estimated ₹1,300 crore in incremental revenue, according to a white paper released during the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025, titled India’s Live Event Economy. The report observed that this growth was among the highest in India’s broader media and entertainment industry, second only to digital media.

 

This year began with British rock band Coldplay performing its largest concert to date in Ahmedabad, drawing 220,000 attendees, followed by other global artistes such as Ed Sheeran, Shawn Mendes, Louis Tomlinson, Martin Garrix, and Cigarettes After Sex. Meanwhile, rapper Travis Scott will perform later this year as part of his Circus Maximus Stadium Tour, and Spanish singer-songwriter Enrique Iglesias is set to perform in Mumbai at the end of October. American comedian and actor Kevin Hart returned to India in September after cancelling his April show.

 

According to a joint Ficci-EY report, the music concert space saw sizeable growth in 2024, with estimates pointing to an all-time high of 70-80 concert days this year featuring audiences of 10,000 or more, surpassing 2024 figures.

 

Last year, ticketing platform BookMyShow estimated over 30,000 live events across more than 300 cities in India. The report also highlighted that artiste-driven engagement — through concerts, merchandise, fan clubs, artiste management, branded content, and both physical and digital events — will be the next big monetisation opportunity.

 

Beyond propping up the concert economy, Jaju noted, “We are also looking at reforms in the broadcasting segment. We understand the market faces challenges due to technological disruptions. Reforms for direct-to-home services and the television segment are also under consideration.”