Amazon has partnered with India’s broadcasting ministry to stream movies and TV shows from state-run studios and promote books and journals from the ministry’s publication arm. The partnership also includes internships for students from government film institutes. This move strengthens Amazon’s commitment to showcase India’s creative talent and stories through its services. India is an important growth market for Amazon and its Prime Video streaming service, but the company has faced antitrust challenges, legal battles, and allegations of undercutting local stores in the country.
The tie-up with the government ministry is a rare move for the Seattle-based company. Last year, Amazon announced a collaboration with the UK’s National Film & Television School to give students career opportunities in company-commissioned productions.
Indian films, despite the high volume of movies produced each year, mainly through the Hindi-language industry based in Mumbai, have not yet achieved the global crossover appeal that South Korean content has with award-winning titles such as Parasite or Netflix’s Squid Game. Netflix also signed a pact with India’s government last year to create training programs for post-production and animation.
Anurag Thakur, India’s Minister for Information & Broadcasting, said in a statement that the partnership with Amazon India is unique on a number of counts. It would provide scholarships, internships, and masterclasses for students, and help to reduce the period of struggle for talented artists.
The tie-up comes ahead of national elections next year, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to seek a third term. The partnership is a move by Amazon to expand its presence in the Indian market and showcase India’s creative talent and stories to a global audience.
