India’s OTT Audience Crosses 664 Million as Connected TV Viewing Surges in 2026

India’s digital entertainment market continued its rapid expansion in 2026, with the country’s over-the-top video audience reaching nearly 665 million people and connected television emerging as one of the fastest-growing ways of consuming online content.

According to the Ormax OTT Audience Report: 2026, India had an estimated 664.9 million OTT viewers, representing an increase of around 11% over the previous year. The findings indicate that approximately 45% of India’s population now consumes online video, underlining how streaming has moved well beyond metropolitan audiences and become part of mainstream entertainment across the country.

The study was based on a survey of around 15,000 respondents across urban and rural India, conducted during June and July 2026.

Paid OTT Subscriptions Continue to Expand

Growth has not been limited to the number of viewers. India’s active paid OTT subscriptions increased by around 16% to 172.6 million in 2026, reflecting a steadily expanding market for subscription-based digital entertainment.

The numbers suggest that Indian consumers are increasingly willing to pay for digital content even as free and advertising-supported platforms continue to attract large audiences.

India’s expanding OTT market is also becoming more geographically diverse. According to the report, 44 Indian cities now have OTT audiences exceeding one million viewers, showing that streaming consumption is spreading beyond the country’s largest metropolitan centres.

Connected TV Audience Jumps 60%

One of the most significant changes in viewing behaviour has been the rapid adoption of connected televisions.

India’s active connected-TV audience increased by about 60% compared with 2025, reaching 206.9 million viewers in 2026.

The rise suggests that OTT entertainment in India is no longer predominantly a smartphone-based phenomenon. Improved broadband connectivity, affordable smart televisions and growing availability of streaming applications are encouraging consumers to watch digital content on larger screens at home.

India’s digital entertainment ecosystem is consequently evolving into a genuinely multi-screen market, where smartphones, televisions, tablets and other connected devices complement one another.

Indians Watch Nearly 15 Hours of Online Video Every Week

The scale of online viewing is also increasing.

OTT users in India now spend an average of around 14.9 hours every week consuming online video. This includes traditional streaming platforms as well as social media video, micro-drama applications and free ad-supported streaming television services.

Taken across the country’s enormous digital audience, Ormax estimates that Indians consume approximately 517 billion hours of online video annually.

The figure illustrates the growing economic importance of digital video for streaming companies, advertisers, content producers and technology platforms.

Micro-Dramas, Korean Content and Anime See Rapid Growth

Changing tastes are also reshaping the type of content Indians are watching.

Micro-dramas, consisting of short episodic stories designed primarily for mobile audiences, recorded approximately 50% growth in audience size, making them one of the fastest-expanding entertainment formats.

Interest in international content is rising rapidly as well. Audiences for Korean dramas increased by around 48%, while anime audiences grew by approximately 32%.

The expansion of these formats reflects a broader change in Indian entertainment consumption, with viewers increasingly exploring content beyond conventional Hindi and regional television and cinema.

FAST Channels Begin Building an Audience

Another emerging segment is Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television, or FAST.

These platforms provide scheduled or continuously streamed digital television channels without requiring users to purchase subscriptions, with advertising supporting the service.

FAST channels have already attracted an estimated 35.2 million viewers in India, suggesting that they could become an increasingly important part of the country’s digital advertising and streaming landscape.

Digital Audio Remains a Major Market

India’s online entertainment boom extends beyond video.

The country now has around 227.3 million monthly active audio-streaming users, according to the report. Of these, approximately 15 million are paid subscribers.

Although paid penetration remains considerably smaller than the overall listening audience, the size of the market gives music, podcast and audio platforms substantial room for further expansion.

India Moves Towards a Multi-Screen Entertainment Economy

The 2026 figures demonstrate how rapidly India’s entertainment landscape is being transformed by digital connectivity.

Smartphones remain a major gateway to streaming, but the dramatic increase in connected-TV audiences indicates that online entertainment is increasingly moving onto the biggest screen in the home.

At the same time, the growth of paid subscriptions, micro-dramas, Korean entertainment, anime and advertising-supported streaming shows that India’s digital audience is becoming both larger and more fragmented in its preferences.

With nearly 665 million OTT viewers, more than 206 million connected-TV viewers and over 500 billion hours of online video consumption annually, India is emerging as one of the world’s largest and most diverse digital entertainment markets.

---