India’s connected TV (CTV) audience has reached 207 million viewers across an estimated 62 million to 65 million households, registering threefold growth since 2022, according to a study by WPP Media and The Trade Desk in partnership with Ormax Media.

‘The Connected TV Era: India’s New Prime Time’ report deep dives into a rapidly growing and evolving Connected TV landscape, and its impact on viewing behaviour, and, hence, on advertising.

The study describes a “big-screen reset” in India, with CTV moving from an emerging format to an essential part of television planning. The growth is no longer confined to metros or premium households, with rural CTV audiences doubling in the past 12 months.

More than two-thirds of urban NCCS A households are CTV homes in 2026, the study said, adding that growth is now coming from NCCS B or below.

CTV penetration in metros stands at 47 percent, leaving further headroom, while non-metros and rural markets are expected to provide the next phase of scale.

The shift in audience composition has not diminished the big screen’s prime-time strength. Between 8 pm and 10 pm on weekdays, 78 percent of CTV viewers are active, choosing to watch web series, cricket or films.

The study also points to strong post-ad engagement.

Across CTV viewers, 83 percent seek more information after seeing an advertisement, with the figure rising to 89 percent among premium CTV viewers.

The study says this high-attention environment can help advertising move consumers from awareness to consideration and action.

CTV’s addressability further allows marketers to link ad exposure with outcomes such as brand lift, online engagement, store visits and retail sales.

This, according to the study, enables in-flight optimisation and gives marketers clearer visibility into campaign performance and business impact.

Shared viewing is another defining feature of CTV in India. More than 80 percent of CTV viewing is shared. While the average household has 3.3 members, a single CTV ad impression reaches approximately 2.5 people, creating what the study describes as a household-reach multiplier.

The study notes that this co-viewing behaviour offers a planning advantage when marketers can identify which devices and viewing signals belong to the same household.

A robust identity graph can enable household-level addressability, improve frequency control across connected devices and reduce unnecessary ad repetition.

CTV is also emerging as an important screen for Gen Z. The study finds that Gen Z CTV viewers consume content primarily across two screens and spend close to 3.1 hours a day on CTV, watching programming ranging from web series to sports and films.

The report argues that CTV retains the qualities that have historically made television powerful — large-screen viewing, long-form content, shared viewing and concentrated prime-time attention — while adding audience choice, addressability and the ability to measure what happens after exposure.

For marketers, the study says the planning conversation has therefore shifted from ‘Should we be on CTV?’ to ‘How do we plan this properly?’