Over 50% of India's 820M Internet users from rural areas
India's internet user base has skyrocketed to over 800 million, with a whopping 86% of them enjoying audio and video content through over-the-top (OTT) services, as per the Internet in India Report 2023. Harsh Jain, chairperson of the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), released the report. Internet users in rural India now outnumber urban customers. Per the report, users dedicate an average of 1.5 hours each day to their online activities.
As internet penetration grows, rural India drives expansion
The report reveals an 8% YoY increase in nationwide internet penetration in 2023, with rural India fueling this growth at a rate of 11% YoY. Out of the 820 million active internet users in 2023, rural India made up 53% of the total user base (442 million). While urban areas gravitate toward internet commerce, digital payments, and online learning, OTT, communication, social media, and online gaming have become more widespread across the nation.
Digital entertainment on the rise
Communication and social media secured the second and third spots as the most popular services among Indian internet users. The rise of digital entertainment is backed by non-traditional devices like smart TVs, speakers, Amazon Firestick, Google Chromecast, and Blu-Ray, which experienced a 58% growth between 2021 and 2023. In a first for India, more people are now accessing video content via internet-only devices—a group dubbed 'cord-cutters'—totaling 208 million in 2023.
