Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur announced in Parliament on Thursday that 35 foreign film projects have received approval for production in India as of November 2023. Comparatively, the figures for 2022 were 28 projects and 11 for 2021.
Addressing the Parliament, the Union Minister shared details about incentive schemes introduced to encourage co-production of films under the Audio-Visual Co-production Treaty and foreign film production in India starting from April 1, 2022. The objective is to position India as a preferred international film production destination, fostering employment opportunities and boosting foreign exchange inflow.
Thakur highlighted that the incentive scheme has been improved and streamlined by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to attract more international projects. According to the revised scheme unveiled on November 20, 2023, qualifying foreign film production projects and films produced under the Audio-Visual Co-production Treaty are eligible for a 30% cash incentive on qualified expenditures incurred in India.
In addition, a 5% bonus can be claimed during the live shoot of foreign films employing 15% or more Indian crew. For foreign film shooting and post-production work, an extra 5% can be claimed for projects featuring significant Indian content, promoting Indian culture, talent, and tourist destinations.
Thakur informed the Parliament that the maximum incentive limit has been increased from the previous ₹2.5 crore to ₹30 crore, targeting larger budget international film projects. The maximum percentage of the incentive has also been raised from the previous 35% to 40%.
To enrich the filmmaking experience in India, the Film Facilitation Office (FFO) introduced its web portal www.ffo.gov.in in November 2018. The portal aims to establish a single-window facilitation and clearance mechanism for foreign filmmakers.
Notably, the FFO web portal has been integrated with the Archaeological Survey of India and Ministry of Railway portals, facilitating filmmakers to shoot in historical and iconic sites under their jurisdiction.
Furthermore, a cohesive ecosystem of Nodal officers has been established in key Central Government Ministries/Departments, State Governments, and Union Territories to streamline the filming permission process in their respective jurisdictions.
To facilitate international filmmakers, cast, and crew, a Film Visa with a one-year validity and multiple entry facility has been introduced, allowing them to film in India seamlessly.