YouTube’s creative ecosystem contributed more than Rs. 18,000 crore to India’s GDP and supported over 9.6 lakh full-time equivalent jobs in 2025, underscoring the growing economic footprint of the creator economy, according to a report commissioned by YouTube and researched by Oxford Economics. 

The report also highlights the platform’s role in creating livelihoods beyond major cities, supporting small businesses, expanding access to learning and taking Indian content to global audiences.

The number of YouTube channels in India generating six-figure annual revenue in rupee terms rose by more than 30 percent year-on-year, while more than 18,000 channels now have over one million subscribers, the report said.

Some other key findings are the following:

• 73 percent of creators who earn money from YouTube said the platform is their primary source of income. 
• Creators earning through YouTube also supported more than 3 lakh apprentices in the preceding year, according to the report.
• The economic impact extends beyond creators themselves, with spending on editors, camera operators, studio space and other professional services supporting local economic activity.
• Over 15 percent of watch time on content produced by channels inn India comes from outside of India.
• 75 percent of viewers say YouTube helps them discover content

related to their local history and culture.

Oxford Economics said 73 percent of small and medium businesses with a YouTube channel reported that their presence on the platform helped them expand beyond YouTube, including into physical stores, brand deals and additional online businesses.

YouTube also reported a significant cross-border reach for Indian content. 

More than 15 percent of watch time on content produced by channels in India comes from viewers outside the country, while 81 percent of media companies with a YouTube channel said the platform helps them reach new audiences globally.

On the knowledge and learning front, 93 percent of viewers surveyed said they use YouTube to gather information or expand their knowledge on a particular interest. 

Among teachers using the platform, 89 percent said it provides access to educational content students would not otherwise have, while 88 percent said YouTube videos help explain complex issues in an understandable way.

The report also points to YouTube’s cultural footprint, with 75 percent of viewers saying the platform helps them discover content related to local history and culture. 

More than 160 million hours of content was uploaded by Indian channels over the past year, according to YouTube’s first-party data cited in the report.

Murugan Urges AI for Innovations: Meanwhile, while speaking at the YouTube Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi yesterday where the report on the economic impact was unveiled, Minister of State for Information & Broadcasting L. Murugan urged young creators to harness artificial intelligence as a tool for innovation and empowerment.

“The future should not be AI versus creators. It should be: AI empowering creators,” Murugan stressed, according to an official statement put out by MIB yesterday.

 Calling upon young creators to “create with courage, create with responsibility, create with purpose”, the Minister emphasised that while “technology changes rapidly, constitutional values endure.”

At the YouTube Impact Summit 2026, themed ‘Co-Creating Impact: India’s Digital Leadership and the Orange Economy’, the Minister highlighted the growing role of India’s digital and creative economy in driving economic growth, employment and global cultural outreach. 

The Summit brought together policymakers, technology leaders, creators, entrepreneurs and innovators, with Murugan delivering the keynote address.   

Dr. Murugan said AI can assist creators in writing, translation, editing, animation, composition, design and distribution, while human imagination remains central to creativity.

He reiterated that AI should empower creators rather than replace them, while stressing the need for accessible, responsible and ethical use of emerging technologies.

The event also featured the unveiling of ‘Create with AI’ films, developed in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT).