New Delhi | The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has signed a partnership with Amazon India for media, entertainment, and public awareness, according to a recent news report. Speaking at the launch of the partnership, Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Anurag Thakur, emphasised that India offers millions of stories which are yet to be told, ranging from spirituality to software, folklore to festivals, and from rural India to rising India.

The partnership includes a range of provisions to strengthen industry-academia linkages, with scholarships, internships, masterclasses, and other opportunities for students from Film and Television Institute of India and Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute of India.

Thakur also voiced concern about the responsibility of OTT platforms in ensuring their platforms do not propagate vulgarity and abuse camouflaged as creative expressions, saying OTT must reflect the collective conscience of the country.

Varun Dhawan, Guest of Honour, highlighted that streaming services act as a leveler, and “new actors and creators, talent that had so far remained on sidelines can now connect with audiences worldwide.”

The partnership with Amazon involves a multidimensional collaboration between the various organisations under the Ministry, including National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), Prasar Bharati, Publications Division, and the media training institutions of Film & Television Institute of India (FTII) and Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI).

Amazon's participation involves Amazon Prime Video, Alexa, Amazon Music, Amazon e-marketplace, and IMDb. The collaboration also includes promotion of Indian heritage through a dedicated catalogue of Publication Division’s books on India’s culture on the Amazon e-commerce website, and promotion of Indian music on Amazon Music and Alexa.

Amazon Prime Video (APV) would sponsor scholarships, create internship programs, and offer job opportunities for students of FTII and SRFTI, as part of the talent development component.