Post-pandemic, 34% of people in India — 481 million consumers — are now streaming content

Here’s the thing:

Over-the-top (OTT) TV streaming continues to see wide expansion in India. Driven by increasing connected TV (CTV) penetration, greater content choices, and an increasing local language play, the market stands at an estimated 34% nationwide, according to The Ormax OTT Audience Report: 2023.

Other factors contributing to India’s surge in OTT viewership include the rise of internet access, diverse content, and disposable income.

Data debrief:

What’s more, the total audience for OTT platforms reached more than an estimated 481 million in 2023, compared with over 424 million in 2022, an increase of 13.5% year over year.

The survey, based on data collected from 12,000 respondents between July and September 2023, identifies the OTT universe as individuals in India who have viewed online videos at least once in the past month. Mobile continues to be India’s primary viewing platform. In addition, the report segments the 481 million people into five categories, based on free versus paid usage, and profiles them demographically and geographically.

Why it matters:

While this uptick is notable, OTT viewership saw an even bigger surge (20% ) in 2022, the report finds. The pandemic may have initially spurred the explosive growth of OTT, with more people looking for entertainment at home. Now, new entertainment options and a saturation of subscriptions in urban areas are driving growth in the region.

The report finds that a majority of India’s OTT viewers opt for free, ad-supported consumption, with only 1 in 3 individuals reportedly paying for OTT services, totaling 153 million paid subscribers. Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru account for the top three cities with paid subscribers, with more than 6 million paid subscribers each.

The takeaway? The pace at which people in India are adopting OTT has slowed, but the data suggests the switch to streaming will persist, particularly on mobile as smartphone users grow by 30 million every quarter. These factors point to a fertile ground for digital initiatives and an opportunity for marketers to corner massive reach.