The Event and Entertainment Management Association (EEMA) has welcomed a series of significant policy-level developments aimed at rationalising and streamlining India’s music licensing regime following a high-level meeting convened by Hon’ble Minister of Commerce & Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, at Vanijya Bhawan, New Delhi.
The meeting brought together representatives from the Event Industry, Exhibition Industry, Hospitality Sector, Venue Owners, and key stakeholders from the Music Industry to address long-standing operational and regulatory challenges associated with music licensing in India.
Representing EEMA at the meeting were Mr. Sabbas Joseph and Mr. Ankur Kalra, General Secretary – EEMA, alongside senior film and television personality Mr. Shashi Ranjan representing the Indian Television Academy.
During the discussions, EEMA highlighted the operational, financial, and legal concerns faced by event professionals under the current licensing structure and emphasized the urgent need for a more transparent, practical, and industry-friendly framework.
One of the major outcomes of the meeting was the clarification on wedding exemptions under Section 52 of the Copyright Act. The Hon’ble Minister stated that, in both spirit and interpretation, the term “marriage” should include all associated wedding celebrations such as Roka, Mehndi, Sangeet, Reception, and related ceremonies, and not be restricted solely to the wedding ceremony itself.
The Minister further directed the initiation of a formal amendment process to clarify this position within the Indian Copyright Act and instructed that the matter be placed before the Parliamentary Standing Committee at the earliest opportunity.
Additionally, concerns surrounding the Sangeet Dwar Portal and Single Window Licensing mechanism were reviewed, particularly regarding commercial viability, operational efficiency, and implementation-related challenges. Shri Piyush Goyal also directed the committee headed by Shri Anoop Jalota and Shri Sanjay Tandon to address tariff-related and operational concerns within 30 days and work towards establishing a more balanced, competitive, and compliance-friendly licensing ecosystem.
Commenting on the development, Ankur Kalra, General Secretary, EEMA, described the move as the result of years of sustained collective effort by the events and entertainment fraternity towards achieving greater transparency, rationalisation, and fairness in India’s music licensing landscape. He further acknowledged the proactive support of the Hon’ble Minister in addressing industry concerns and enabling reforms that could significantly reduce operational disputes and legal complexities across the events ecosystem.
