India’s animation sector is done asking if it can compete. The question now is how fast it can build original IPs that travel.
That shift sits at the centre of the eighth Animation & More Summit, running 28 and 29 August at the Nesco Exhibition Centre in Mumbai. Theme: “India to the World: Creating Global IPs for the Next Generation.” Creators, studios, tech firms, investors, broadcasters and policymakers will spend two days on networking, deal-making and hard conversations about the next phase of the industry.
The summit runs alongside Anime India and closes with the Ann Awards 2026. An international pavilion is designed to push cross-border partnerships. Guest list includes Hayato Date (Naruto, Naruto Shippuden) and producer Ryota Hasegawa of (Sakamoto Days and Dr. Stone).
Advisory board members include Anand Bhanushali (philmCGI), Anil NM Wanvari (AnimationXpress), Arjun Madhavan (Assemblage), Ashish Thapar (HiTech), Gauri Sriram (Studio56), Manoj Mishra (Powerkids), Milind Shinde (88 Pictures), Niloy Kanti Biswas (Wackytoon), P Jayakumar (Kynzo), Rajeev Nagar (Huion), Rajeswari Roy (ETV Bal Bharat), Rajiv Chilaka (Green Gold), Veerendra Patil (Zebu) and Yashoda Parthasarthy (Plexus Motion).
Sessions will cut into the real questions. Can service studios pivot to original IP? Is Indian mythology the next global animation goldmine? Is the chase for monetisation killing storytelling? How do you finance animation in this market? What are the theatrical prospects for animated features? Where does the talent gap sit against industry demand? How will AI reshape pipelines?
Production deep-dives will cover Wolf King season two, Baahubali: The Eternal War and 666: Operation Dream Theatre. Other tracks will look at anime distribution, brand licensing, emerging Indian IPs and artist showcases.
The Ann Awards night will recognise work across animation, digital content and creative storytelling, including the Arnab Chaudhuri Award, Ram Mohan Award, Ramoji Animation Excellence Awards and DigiCon6 Asia Awards.
AI is rewriting production. Broadcasters need new stories. Indian studios are putting more capital into original IP. The summit lands at the moment when the industry is trying to move from back-office supplier to global storyteller.
Co-located with Anime India, the two days sit between boardroom and fandom. Decision-makers and creators share the same floor as the audience that will ultimately decide which IPs travel.
To learn more about the summit: https://www.animationandmoresummit.com/
To register, visit: https://event.animationxpress.com/am_summit_2026/index.php
