'When India moves forward, the world moves with it': Mumbai hosts 3-day Global Esports Games World Finals

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday (March 19) inaugurated the Global Esports Games (GEG) World Finals at the MMRDA Grounds in Mumbai marking the beginning of a three-day international esports spectacle in the city.Organised by Eflag Corp and the Global Esports Federation, with the support of Maharashtra Tourism, GEG Mumbai World Finals features 48 top-tier athletes from 19 countries, including India.

Team India comprises six athletes who will compete against their international counterparts in two titles, Dota 2 and Clash Royale. The Dota 2 squad includes Krish Gupta, Manav Kunte, Vishal Vernekar, Amit Malwal, and Subhadeep Das.

Representing India in Clash Royale is Anuhith Gosala.The Global Esports Games World Finals bring together international players, federations, and industry stakeholders, delivering high-performance competition alongside large-scale audience engagement. With participation from countries worldwide, the event marks a significant milestone in India’s esports journey showcasing the country’s growing talent base and its readiness to compete at the highest level.

“India allows us to think bigger than ever before - and when India moves forward, the world moves with it. India represents energy, ambition, and bringing the Global Esports Games World Finals here reflects our belief in a truly connected, inclusive ecosystem that brings the world together through the power of play,” said Sir Paul J Foster, President and CEO, Global Esports Federation."I think that this is a very exciting moment, a very pivotal moment, because of the fact that now, the last two years, many governments around the world have understood that Esports is not just a pastime.

It's actually part of the digital infrastructure, that the United Nations calls the sustainable digital ecosystem, or what we call the Orange Economy.""So this is now central to the India policy, the national policy, and it's being realised in Maharashtra, as you can see from the presence of the Chief Minister, as a priority point. So, pivotal, because in the past, it was a pastime, a hobby, sport, entertainment, and now it's become a central part of the national dialogue," he continued. According to the recent EY- Parthenon Study 2026 India’s Orange economy is already a meaningful economic sector in India at ~USD 45-50 billion today, and is poised to scale further to ~USD 55-60 billion by 2027.