Summary:
India’s digital ecosystem has entered a more mature, high-engagement phase, with over 915 million internet users, according to Nielsen. The user base is now more balanced across genders, driven largely by a mobile-first approach, with most users accessing the internet via smartphones. Online behaviour is increasingly dominated by video consumption and social media, while connected TV adoption is also rising, especially in southern regions. Overall, users are engaging more intensively across multiple platforms, signalling a shift from basic access to deeper, multi-format digital participation, creating both opportunities and challenges for businesses and media companies.
India’s internet landscape has moved beyond simple access to a phase of deeper engagement, with more than 915 million active users, according to Nielsen’s India Internet Report 2025. The user base is now more balanced, with 52% men and 48% women, reflecting wider and more inclusive digital adoption.
A strong mobile-first trend continues to drive this growth, with around 94% of users relying on mobile data and over 622 million people owning smartphones, often shared within households. User behaviour is also shifting, with video emerging as the most popular activity, watched by 78% of users, followed by social media engagement at 74%, making both central to everyday digital habits.
At the same time, connected TV usage is gradually increasing, particularly in southern regions where adoption is highest, supported by better broadband access. Overall, the data highlights a shift toward more intensive and multi-platform internet use, where users engage across video, social media, messaging, and commerce simultaneously. For businesses and media companies, this evolving landscape presents both new opportunities and challenges, as understanding user behaviour becomes as important as tracking audience size.
