India Media & Entertainment Market Research Report: Forecast (2025-2030)

Market Definition

The culmination of entertainment, which includes music, films, shows, series, etc., and the media or outlets through which a viewer is consuming them, like television and radio, constitute the media and entertainment industry.

Market Insights & Analysis: India Media & Entertainment Market (2025-30):

The India Media & Entertainment Market size was valued at around USD 30 Billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 48 Billion by 2030. Along with this, the market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of around 9.8% during the forecast period, i.e., 2025-30. This is because the country is going through rapid digitalization leading to growth in the market. This digital infrastructure is supported by about 1,200 million telephone subscribers including more than 666 million subscribers from the urban and over 533 million subscribers from the rural regions, as per the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) by the end of August 2024. Additionally, the deployment of 5G has picked up, surpassing more than 130 million users by the end of 2023, and 5G users are likely to reach 575 million by 2026, as per Nokia. India also boasts a broad reach of 4G and 4G Lite networks across the country, which ensures nearly 70% strong internet penetration by FY24 as per TRAI.

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High-speed internet on smartphones is revolutionizing the media and entertainment industry's landscape in the country and OTT media services appear to be one of the main beneficiaries. OTT platforms enable digital publishers to deliver their video content directly over the internet to viewers. This has led to the proliferation of OTT platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Videos, etc. in the country. These have resulted in the production of around 3000 hours of OTT content in FY24. Furthermore, there has been an increasing focus on the regional languages, resulting in 52% of the OTT content in FY24 being in the regional language. The digital segment is expected to reach USD11,318 million by 2026, thereby outgrowing television as the largest M&E segment. This growth is encouraged by content localization.

However, traditional media is said to be resilient. India has evolved into a "Linear and Digital Market" with diverse consumption patterns. The country has more than 900 television channels and over 80 thousand newspapers in various regional and local languages. Today, India is creating around 200,000 hours of content in different forms such as films, OTT shows, and music. Indian content has reached more than 160 countries which reflects their universal appeal. Moreover, affordable internet availability, preparation of infrastructure, and talent availability in VFX, animation, and post-production further boost this sector towards achieving one billion active screens by 2030. These developments in the rapidly evolving industry dynamics of media and entertainment in India will drive industry growth over the foreseeable future.

India Media & Entertainment Market Driver:

Escalating Growth in Digital Media – India is fast digitizing its economy to achieve the target of a USD1 trillion digital economy by FY28. Growth has been catalyzed by the massive growth in digital media in the country. As per FICCI, digital subscriptions in the country have grown by 9%, with the revenues for 2023, to be USD924 million. Further segmentation highlights that the revenue from video-based subscriptions contributes more than 90% of the total subscription-based revenue of digital media, and that has grown by 6% in 2023. Growth in digital media is further supported by increased usage of smartphones in India where Indians spend more time on mobile devices.

As per The International Trade Administration in mid-2024, smartphone users in India accounted for more than 650 million. The increased internet connectivity in the country has made Indians spend much time on smartphones. These will boost consumer engagement across various digital media, thereby driving market growth.

India Media & Entertainment Market Opportunity:

Rise of Online Gaming in India – Online gaming in India is rapidly growing. This growth in online gaming is the result of several factors working together. These factors include an increase in societal acceptance leading to parents allowing their kids to play games. Moreover, there are many quizzes and play games that parents themselves provide to their kids for educational purposes.

Furthermore, India has high-speed internet and higher penetration of smartphones which has resulted in a boost in online gaming, particularly mobile gaming. Additionally, India has a young population that is around 600 million citizens of India are below the age of 35 in FY24, as per the economic survey of India. These factors have resulted in the rise in number of online gamers to 590 million in FY24, as per Lumikai. The surge in the number of online gamers resulted in an increase in revenue in the online gaming industry from USD 770 million in 2019 to an estimated USD 3,188 million by the end of 2024.

Furthermore, in 2023, approximately 90 million gamers paid for online games, bolstering a 21% surge in the transaction-based gaming revenue to USD 2,157 million. The rise of competitive online gaming in the country and increasing network connectivity with the deployment of 5G will boost the market growth. Online gaming is expected to reach a revenue of USD 4,598 million by 2026. These shall provide growth opportunities to India's Media & Entertainment Market. 

India Media & Entertainment Market Challenge:

Subscription Challenge in India – The subscription model deployed across various segments of media & entertainment in India targets the consumers at the top end of the income pyramid of the country. This results in a very concentrated subscription base for the industry, therefore making it difficult to scale. For example, as per FICCI, the majority of the subscriptions associated with digital, and movies come from 40-50 million subscribers. Moreover, India has a price-sensitive middle and lower-income consumer base that does not prefer to opt for any subscription services. Furthermore, many digital OTT platforms in India follow a content-based subscription model. This may result in a scenario called subscription fatigue, which is caused when consumers have subscriptions to various platforms, many of which customers don’t want to pay for. The unfolding of such development could restrain the growth of India’s Media & Entertainment Industry.    

India Media & Entertainment Market Trend:

Live Events Gaining Traction – The live events in India, which declined in 2020 due to the pandemic, have made a strong recovery in 2023. In 2023, more than 13.5 million people in India attended live events, which is also an 82% increase in the number of individuals attending live events, as per the BookMyShow website. Further highlighted that a significant booking is being made from Tier-II cities like Surat, Jaipur, and Ranchi. For instance, in September 2024, the Coldplay concert tickets, which will be held on Jan 2025, sold out within 30 minutes. This is just the data from a single ticket booking platform. Furthermore, Zomato, which has catered to around 58 million customers by FY23, acquired Paytm’s entertainment and ticketing business in Aug 2024, making the service available to a large customer base. These developments will boost attendance at live events, which will further boost market growth.

India Media & Entertainment Market (2025-30): Segmentation Analysis

The India Media & Entertainment Market study of MarkNtel Advisors evaluates & highlights the major trends and influencing factors in each segment. It includes predictions for the period 2025–2030 at the national level. Based on the analysis, the market has been further classified as:

Based on Type:

• Television
• Digital Media
• Print
• Online Gaming
• Filmed Entertainment
• Animation and VFX
• Live Events
• Out of Home Media
• Music
• Radio
• Others

Television holds the largest share of the India Media & Entertainment Industry in terms of both reach and viewership in 2023. Furthermore, in India, over 210 million households have televisions, which is equivalent to around 891 million viewers, according to the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC). It is expected that as the country adds more households to its middle class, the number of television connections will rise further. For example, around 90 million households in the country are still awaiting their first television. These households belong primarily to rural parts of Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Bihar. This will provide significant benefits to the industry over the forecasted period.

Based on Revenue Type:

• Advertisement
• Subscription
• Others

Subscription Segment holds the biggest market share of around 64% in the Media & Entertainment Industry of India. This is primarily due to factors such as the fact that viewers on India's digital platforms, which have seen rapid growth in the last few years, are opting for subscription-based services. For instance, in OTT platforms, subscriptions were responsible for about 90% of revenue in 2021, which is expected to reach up to 95% by 2026. Moreover, television, which holds the largest viewership in the industry, has derived over 50% of its revenue through subscriptions since 2019, as reported by FICCI. The rising middle class and growing disposable income will further escalate the industry’s revenue through subscriptions.

India Media & Entertainment Industry Recent Development:

• August 2024: YouTube has increased prices across all its premium plans in India.

Gain a Competitive Edge with Our India Media & Entertainment Market Report

1. India Media & Entertainment Market Report by MarkNtel Advisors provides a detailed & thorough analysis of market size & share, growth rate, competitive landscape, and key players. This comprehensive analysis helps businesses gain a holistic understanding of the market dynamics & make informed decisions.
2. This report also highlights current market trends & future projections, allowing businesses to identify emerging opportunities & potential challenges. By understanding market forecasts, companies can align their strategies & stay ahead of the competition.
3. India Media & Entertainment Market Report aids in assessing & mitigating risks associated with entering or operating in the market. By understanding market dynamics, regulatory frameworks, and potential challenges, businesses can develop strategies to minimize risks & optimize their operations.

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