How YouTube is Fueling India’s Next Wave of Growth, Knowledge, and Culture
In India, something profound is happening. The way we connect, learn, and grow is being fundamentally transformed. And it’s happening here, on YouTube.
Today, YouTube is more than a platform: it has become the new infrastructure for national ambition.
It is the digital stage where artists like Sanju Rathod can find a global audience; the virtual classroom where organizations like Adda Education serve millions preparing for critical exams. And it is the digital engine where entrepreneurs like Amit Sharma turn a single idea into a thriving business, hiring teams and building studios.
This is the power of the Creator Nation.
We partnered with Oxford Economics to measure the real-world value of this expansion. The latest report confirms the astonishing scale: Last year, YouTube’s creative ecosystem contributed over ₹16,000 crores to India’s GDP and supported more than 930,000 full-time equivalent jobs across the country.
These facts affirm a central truth: YouTube is an engine for India's shared growth, shared knowledge, and shared culture.
Powerful engine for economic and socio-cultural growth
It all started with a simple, radical idea back in 2007: creators should share in the value they create. Today, that idea has powered a booming digital economy, fundamentally democratizing economic mobility. When a creator thrives, their community and local economy benefit. For nearly two-thirds of creators earning on the platform, YouTube is now their primary source of income.
YouTube is now India's global stage, where an artist from anywhere can reach the world. It’s how a rapper from Kerala like Hanumankind can find fans from Lucknow to Los Angeles overnight. It’s how Anita Bokepalli can share one of India’s greatest wellness traditions, yoga, with a global community. This is India’s soft power in action.
As our creators share India’s culture with the world, they also strengthen it at home — a fact confirmed by the 71% of users who say YouTube helps them preserve their own history and culture.
This ecosystem is built on a foundation of shared knowledge, becoming India’s largest classroom. It's a place where 98% of users in India say they come to access information and learn new things—from academic subjects to practical, life-changing skills.
Growth. Knowledge. Culture. These three forces are building the future of India's digital economy, and they are being built every single day by millions of creators right here on YouTube.
Our commitment to this future is backed by a major investment: ₹850 crore to fuel the creator economy over the next two years. And we remain committed to:
Empowering Creation: Helping creators bring their visions to life with cutting-edge tools like Edit with AI, and enabling them to go global with features like Auto Dubbing.
Expanding Monetization: Giving creators new ways to earn revenue, from expanding our Shopping affiliate program to facilitating more seamless brand partnerships.
Strengthening Community: Connecting creators with each other, fostering collaboration, and forging stronger links with India’s top brands.
Innovating Responsibly: Protecting creators with advanced tools like Likeness Detection, and building viewer trust with transparent labels for AI-generated content.
The story of the creator in India is the story of India itself: ambitious, innovative, and ready for the world. We are humbled to be a part of this journey, and we are excited to write the next chapter, together.
