India’s Content Economy: Growth, Trends & Global Outlook

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India’s Content Economy: Building Global Audiences Through Digital Entertainment

The digital entertainment ecosystem in India is currently experiencing a fundamental change of structures as it shifts from being a national consumer market to a global content economy. What used to be dominated by cinema and television in the past now includes streaming services, creator-owned businesses, gaming, music, podcasts, animation, visual effects (VFX), and immersive digital content. These changes have impacted the way content is created, distributed, and monetized thus making India one of the leading players in digital creativity and intellectual property.

As a result of its development, the sector’s economic performance reflects the aforementioned trends. According to the FICCI-EY Media & Entertainment Report 2026, the Indian media and entertainment industry grew by 9% year-over-year in 2025 reaching Rs. 2.78 trillion (US$ 32.8 billion), while the digital media became the biggest segment of the industry for the first time with revenues exceeding Rs. 1 trillion. The forecast of the report states that by 2028 the industry will generate revenues of Rs. 3.3 trillion (USD 34.84 billion) with support from digital advertising, premium content, live experiences, and regional-language programming.

Because of increasing internet connectivity and opportunities offered by digital platforms for creation of content, India is developing a creator economy where entertainment is increasingly converging with technology, business, and entrepreneurial activities. From globally-streamed films and multi-lingual web series to gaming economies and creator-owned companies, digital entertainment has become one of the important sources of economic growth, employment, export activity, and India’s soft power.

The Evolution of India’s Content Economy

In the last few years, there have been a number of changes in the content economy of India owing to factors like digitalisation and changing consumer tastes. While in the beginning the content economy was driven mostly by the television industry and the movie business, it now involves a thriving ecosystem comprising of video-on-demand, streaming platforms, gaming, digital publications, and creator-based content catering to varied audiences.

The increasing accessibility of inexpensive smartphones and affordable mobile internet data has brought about a change in how people consume content. In today’s world, consumers want customised, on-demand content available in more than one language. To cater to these demands, media companies have started providing content other than the traditional broadcasting. There has been a lot of investment made by streaming platforms in producing their own content, whereas the advent of social media has opened up avenues for independent creators to get noticed by millions of people without the help of any production studios. Thus, there has been a transformation not only in the nature of content but also in the economic system of the content industry in India.

Monetisation Models are Reshaping India’s Content Economy

The content economy in India is shifting towards diversifying into the digital business model with value creation pivoted around subscriptions, creator-based commerce, licensing, and Intellectual Property. aq players are increasingly developing hybrid subscription-based video-on-demand (SVOD) and advertising-based video-on-demand (AVOD) products, to cater to India’s price-sensitive but digitally savvy audience with high levels of engagement, even as live sports content and originals become critical components in driving subscriptions and monetizing them. The formation of JioStar post the 2024 merger between Reliance Media Group and Disney Star India highlights the consolidation in the media companies’ content portfolio to drive monetization from their audiences.

In addition to streaming, the creator economy itself is becoming a meaningful source of commerce in India. According to the ‘From Content to Commerce’ report by BCG, the 2-2.5 million monetized creators in India drive US$ 350-400 billion in consumer spending annually and the creator-based commerce is estimated to touch US$ 1 trillion by 2030. Further, successful Indian film franchises like Baahubali, RRR, and KGF have shown the power of original intellectual property to create sustained value through the monetization of streaming rights internationally, merchandizing, licensing, and other forms of content distribution. With businesses now integrating their content and commerce capabilities, India’s digital entertainment industry is evolving into a monetization ecosystem driven by recurring revenues and global marketable IP.

Government Initiatives Supporting India’s Content Economy

India’s Government is proactively strengthening the creative economy of the nation by promoting digital infrastructure, skill development, and innovation along the media and entertainment value chain. Through the initiatives focused on animation, gaming, creators, and digital content production, the Government endeavors to position India as the global center of creativity with a focus on job creation, technological advancement, and exports.

One of the key programs is the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES), launched in 2025 with a vision “Create in India, Create for the World.” It brings together creators, production studios, tech companies, investors, and policymakers to build international collaboration and increase India’s global footprint in films, over-the-top (OTT) platforms, gaming, broadcast, and digital media industry. During its first edition, the event gathered more than 90 countries, 10,000 delegates, 1,000 creators, more than 300 companies, and 350 startups, reflecting India’s growing prominence in the global content ecosystem.

For building a future-ready talent pool, the Union Budget 2026-27 proposed the creation of AVGC Content Creator Labs in 15,000 secondary schools and 500 colleges with budget allocated at Rs. 250 crore (USD 26.40 million). Under the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT), the program will focus on skill development in animation, visual effects (VFX), gaming, comics, and extended reality (AVGC-XR) considering the sector’s expected requirement of 2 million professionals by 2030.

Such initiatives have come in addition to other programs like Digital India and Startup India that have increased the digital penetration, promoted entrepreneurship, and allowed creators, startups, and tech companies to scale digital-first business models. These policies, taken in aggregate, contribute towards building an environment that fosters innovation and creation of intellectual property.

Growth Drivers and Key Trends

Outlook and Road Ahead

The content economy of India is likely to take a central role in the digital success story of the nation because of the following three reasons, the growth in internet connectivity, changing consumer behavior, and the advances in artificial intelligence and immersive technology. As there is growing demand for unique content, multilingual content, and regionally authentic content, India is well placed to capture market share in the entertainment sector internationally using its original IP content, regional content, and digital content.

Moving forward, the intersection of content, technology, and commerce is likely to provide further growth avenues in streaming, games, animation, creators’ businesses, and immersive media sectors. The investments in digital infrastructure and policies, like WAVES and AVGC-XR Mission, are likely to further boost innovation and improve the competitiveness of India in the global content economy. The content economy of India is not only growing in the digital entertainment sector but also building itself up as a global hub for content creation, cultural exports, and creativity entrepreneurship.

How large was India’s media and entertainment industry in 2025?

India’s media and entertainment industry grew 9% year-on-year in 2025, reaching Rs. 2.78 trillion (US$32.8 billion). Digital media became the industry’s largest segment for the first time, with revenues exceeding Rs. 1 trillion. The industry is forecast to reach Rs. 3.3 trillion by 2028.

What are the driving forces behind the growth of India’s content economy?

Improved Internet connectivity, the availability of cost-effective smartphones, increasing demand for local and on-demand content, and fast-growing streaming platforms are all responsible for driving India’s content economy.

How does the creator economy impact the digital entertainment industry of India?

The creator economy allows creators to earn from their creations through subscriptions, business collaborations, e-commerce, and direct-to-consumer businesses. The creator economy has become an important factor for entrepreneurship and employment in India.

What government initiatives are supporting India’s content economy?

Government measures such as WAVES, AVGC Content Creator Labs, Digital India, and Startup India will help build a strong digital infrastructure and promote skills development, innovation, and collaboration within the media and entertainment industry.

What is the future outlook for India’s content economy?

India is expected to continue as a global center for creating content, exporting culture, and entertaining digitally due to continued investments in technology and infrastructure including digital technology, artificial intelligence, regional stories, and immersive technologies.

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