Karnataka Aims to Rise to the Top of India's Esports Scene: Kharge

Karnataka IT-BT Minister Priyank Kharge is determined to establish Karnataka as a major esports hub as the southern state seeks to capitalise on the growing popularity of the industry nationwide. In his remarks at the Bengaluru GAFX 2025 conference on February 27, Kharge stated that the state government hopes to conduct its own National Esports Festival this year. He added that he plans to host the largest esports festival in the country and possibly Asia for our gaming community. He did not, however, provide any more information. Now in its sixth edition, the conference is hosted by the Karnataka government's Department of Electronics, Information Technology, and Biotechnology in partnership with the nonprofit ABAI. Over 20,000 people are anticipated to attend Bengaluru GAFX 2025, which is aimed at the rapidly expanding animation, visual effects, gaming, comics, and extended reality (AVGC-XR) business. It is a three-day event from 27 February to 1 March. The top four esport teams in the nation from various regions are competing for the Counter-Strike 2 title in the conference's final tournament for an esports national championship. The market research firm IMARC Group projects that the Indian esports industry would reach $919 million by 2033, expanding at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.42% between 2025 and 2033.

Investor Connect Initiative- Part of GAFX 2025

According to Kharge, Bengaluru GAFX 2025 is also holding an investor connect program, where 50 AVGC-XR firms are interacting with more than 25 top investors who are providing finance and mentorship opportunities. Karnataka is taking these steps in an attempt to take the lead in this field, but other states like Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Maharashtra, and Kerala are becoming more and more competitive. Additionally, Kharge wants the state to play a significant role in India's aspirations to dominate the world in this field. "In addition to contributing to international projects, our professionals are spearheading them by bringing their distinct viewpoints and unparalleled experience to the fore," he said. Indian artists play a key role in providing innovative visuals for both local and foreign films in the fields of animation and visual effects. "Our efforts have received praise from all over the world, establishing India as a centre for top-notch VFX and animation services," he added.

How State’s AVGC-XR Policy can Benefit Karnataka

In order to promote international cooperation in Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality (AVGC-XR), the Karnataka government is also forming a Global Innovation Alliance (GIA) that will bring together France, Australia, the United Kingdom, Scotland, Uzbekistan, and Italy. An investment of INR 150 crore was set aside by the Karnataka government last year for its updated AVGC-XR policy for 2024–2029. The state administration hopes to create 50,000 jobs over the following three to four years with the strategy, which was initially announced in November 2023 and started in January 2024. By turning the state into a hub for AVGC-related capabilities, the government hopes to develop a talent pool and guarantee that exports account for at least 80% of the industry's overall earnings. It is anticipated that the gaming industry will turn to the Centre of Excellence (CoE) for innovation, research, and development.

During her remarks at the event, Dr. Ekroop Caur, Secretary, Department of Electronics, IT, Bt, Science & Technology, Government of Karnataka, stated that an AVGC-XR Park is also being developed. It would provide research facilities, production studios, and incubation spaces. According to Caur, Karnataka is home to more than 15,000 experts and more than 300 AVGC studios. With 500 million players in India, Karnataka has the most gaming startups, making Bengaluru the centre for next-generation game development. The first of its type in India, Karnataka's AVGC-XR fund provides up to INR 2 crore in investment support for startups and SMEs.