In the global arena of digital entertainment, narratives have long been dominated by Greek pantheons, Norse gods, and futuristic dystopias. But at the recent Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue, Prime Minister Narendra Modi pitched a new protagonist for the console generation: Indian heritage itself.
Addressing a gathering of India’s youth, the Prime Minister didn’t just talk about the economics of the gaming sector – he spoke about the soul of it. He outlined three specific pillars for the future of Indian gaming, suggesting that the country’s ancient epics hold the key to becoming a global superpower. And as titles like Raji, The Age of Bhaarat, and Unleash the Avatar show, the industry is already proving him right.
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“We can bring these stories into the gaming world,” Modi urged, framing gaming not merely as entertainment, but as a strategic export of culture. His argument is simple: India sits on a goldmine of content. The complex narratives of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata are ready-made for the immersive world of modern gaming.
This isn’t hypothetical. We have already seen the blueprint with Raji: An Ancient Epic. The game didn’t just succeed because of its mechanics; it succeeded because it unapologetically exported Indian architecture and the lore of Goddess Durga to a global audience. It proved Modi’s point that Indian stories don’t need to be “westernized” to work, they just need to be adapted.
In perhaps the most memorable line of the address, the Prime Minister remarked, “Hanuman ji alone can power an entire gaming industry”.
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He highlighted that global gaming thrives on strong characters, and India has them in abundance. This aligns perfectly with upcoming titles like Unleash the Avatar, which gamifies the concept of Vishnu’s avatars, and The Age of Bhaarat, which pits players against Rakshasas. These games aren’t inventing new lore; they are leveraging the same “superhero” appeal Modi spoke of. When the PM says Hanuman can run the industry, he is identifying that Indian deities offer deep, mechanic-rich power fantasies that rival any Marvel or DC counterpart.
Finally, Modi observed a subtle educational revolution. He noted that while gaming is a huge economy, it is also a way for children to “understand India” effortlessly.
He praised Indian startups for doing “great work” in this space, creating a bridge between tradition and technology. When a player engages with the dark fantasy world of The Age of Bhaarat or the mythic landscapes of Raji, they aren’t just pressing buttons; they are absorbing the ethos of the subcontinent. The government is backing this vision with the “Reform Express” – including the new WAVES summit for creators and tax exemptions for income up to ₹12 lakhs – to ensure these startups survive and thrive.
The Prime Minister’s message was clear: The hardware is ready, the policies are in place, and the stories are waiting. The characters are ready; now, the world just needs to pick up the controller.
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