2 min readNew DelhiJan 30, 2026 05:08 AM IST
The live entertainment sector has made a strong recovery post-Covid-19, surpassing Rs 10,000 crore in 2024 and extending its impact to tourism and urban services, according to the Economic Survey for 2025-26 released on Thursday.
The “Orange Economy” refers to the segment of the economy driven by creativity, culture and intellectual property. It includes activities where value is derived mainly from ideas, knowledge, artistic expression and cultural content.
According to the Economic Survey, a significant portion of this economy is the concert sector, which involves large-scale live music and entertainment events, and also includes various associated value chains, such as ticketing, hospitality, travel, logistics, media production, advertising and local services, extending beyond just physical attendance at the events.
In India, there is a lack of live event venues and restrictions on foreign payments that can be made to artists coming from abroad. “Opening up heritage monuments for such events and facilitating the visa and foreign exchange permissions for the foreign performers/artists could be considered in this regard,” it said, adding that considering that anywhere between 10 and 15 clearances are required, the Ministry of I&B is working on a single window mechanism for live entertainment permissions, including those needed from state governments.
“International evidence shows that live concerts are high-multiplier, services-intensive activities, generating economic value well beyond ticket sales by supporting tourism, employment and urban services,” it said.
