Event and Entertainment Management Association has welcomed a series of significant policy-level directions emerging from a high-level meeting convened by Piyush Goyal on May 14, 2026, at Vanijya Bhawan, aimed at rationalising and streamlining India’s music licensing framework.
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 surrounding music licensing in India.
EEMA was represented by Sabbas Joseph and Ankur Kalra, along with senior film and television personality Shashi Ranjan representing the Indian Television Academy.
During the meeting, EEMA presented the operational, financial and legal concerns faced by event professionals due to the current music licensing structure and highlighted the need for a more transparent, practical and industry-friendly system.
Among the key outcomes of the meeting were clarification on wedding exemptions under Section 52 of the Copyright Act, wherein the Hon’ble Minister stated that, in spirit and interpretation, a “marriage” should include all functions associated with wedding celebrations, including Roka, Mehndi, Sangeet, Reception and related ceremonies, and not merely the wedding ceremony itself.
The Minister also directed the initiation of a formal clarification process through an amendment to the Indian Copyright Act and instructed that the matter be placed before the Parliamentary Standing Committee at the earliest.
Another key discussion point was the review and reform of the Sangeet Dwar Portal and the Single Window Licensing mechanism, following concerns raised regarding commercial viability, operational efficiency and implementation-related challenges.
Additionally, the committee headed by Anoop Jalota and Sanjay Tandon has been directed to address tariff-related and operational concerns within 30 days and work towards creating a more balanced, competitive and compliance-friendly framework for stakeholders.
Speaking on the development, Ankur Kalra said, “This marks the culmination of years of sustained collective effort by the events and entertainment fraternity towards bringing greater rationalisation, transparency, and fairness to India’s music licensing regime. We are deeply grateful to the Hon’ble Minister of Commerce & Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, for understanding the genuine concerns of our industry and for taking swift and decisive steps towards resolving them. These reforms have the potential to significantly strengthen the events ecosystem by reducing unnecessary confrontation, litigation, and operational challenges, allowing our industry to focus on what it does best — creating experiences, generating employment, and contributing meaningfully to India’s creative economy.”
