Noting that Indian films have an impact on counties abroad, Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur on Monday said that his aim is to make India the "content sub-continent of the world".
He said this can generate millions of jobs in India.
His remarks came at the India Pavilion at Dubai Expo 2020, where he held a conversation with Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh on 'The Global Reach of Indian Media and Entertainment Industry'.
On the third day of his visit to Dubai, Thakur said Indian people in Dubai are the real brand ambassadors of India. The India Pavilion has been a huge crowd puller with 1.7 million visitors. The Minister added that India is celebrating 75 years of independence and the celebrations are taking place not just in India but abroad also.
Acknowledging the contribution of films to India's soft power projection, the Minister said India is a land of storytelling and the film industry has left a great impact on people of foreign countries who laud India for its films.
An official release said the minister also lauded Ranveer Singh's performance in movies.
Ranveer Singh said Indian content is on the cusp of making its presence felt on the world stage.
"Indian entertainment is going to explode globally. Our stories resonate with people and transcend cultural boundaries and Indians abroad connect with India through films," he said.
Ahead of the lively discussion, the Minister along with Ranveer Singh took a tour of the India Pavilion at Dubai Expo 2020.
Earlier during the day, the minister held a discussion with Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing on various strategies adopted by Dubai in respect of the tourism sector to make it a preferred tourism destination for the world.
During the meeting, the minister commended Dubai for organising the Expo which has been a great success despite the pandemic.
Highlighting the importance of Dubai on the tourism map of the world, the Minister remarked that Indians have preferred to fly to Dubai over western capitals like London during the pandemic years.
Kazim mentioned that Dubai's success has been possible owing to decisive leadership with a focused target. He talked about Dubai Authority's strategy during COVID when the city was shut down in March 2020. The authorities adopted a completely new strategy and ensured restrictions and protocols. Vaccinations and PCR tests were made mandatory for travellers and Dubai was the first city to open up for tourists.
Kazim mentioned that Dubai has a target to get 25 million tourists by 2025 and become the world's most visited city.
He also mentioned that Dubai is also exploring the cryptocurrency space, although it is risky and unregulated for now.
Kazim highlighted that India has great potential in tourism. India can utilize the unique aspects of key cities/states and focus on their strengths. India's IT talent benefits the global industry which can be promoted as a strength.
Anurag Thakur invited Kazim to India to discuss further collaboration opportunities in the tourism and media and entertainment sector.
( With inputs from ANI )
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