India Crosses 600 Million OTT Users, CTV Records 87% Growth
India Crosses 600 Million OTT Users, CTV Records 87% Growth
Growth slows to 10% this year, but paid subscriptions and connected TV usage rise sharply
India’s over-the-top (OTT) user base has crossed 600 million, accounting for nearly 41% of the country’s population. However, the growth rate slowed to 10% in 2025, compared with 13–14% in 2023 and 2024.
According to Ormax Media’s latest report, active connected TV (CTV) users surged by 87% to 129 million, which translates into about 35–40 million CTV households. Ormax CEO Shailesh Kapoor described this as a major leap in a market traditionally seen as mobile-first.
“India’s active connected TV (CTV) user base is around 129.2 million, which translates to an estimated 35 to 40 million CTV homes. The CTV penetration in India has grown by a staggering 87 per cent within a single year,” the report stated
This is a subscription-based report released by Ormax Media and is based on a sample size of 15,600 respondents across urban and rural India, with the research being conducted in June and July 2025
OTT users in India are now estimated to be around 601.2 million
Interestingly, India now has 148 million paid OTT subscriptions, including telecom bundles and aggregator packages.
Business models shifting
To strengthen profitability, most OTT platforms are moving towards a hybrid model combining subscriptions with advertisements. For instance, Amazon Prime launched an ad-supported (AVOD) tier this year, while Netflix continues to operate solely on a subscription-based model.
Understanding OTT vs CTV
OTT (Over-The-Top) platforms deliver video or audio content such as movies, web series, live TV, and music directly over the internet to devices like mobiles, tablets, laptops, or TVs — bypassing cable or DTH connections. Examples include Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, SonyLIV, and JioCinema.
- OTT user: Anyone who watches content via these apps on mobile, laptop, or TV.
- CTV user: A subset of OTT users who stream directly on smart TVs or on regular TVs connected through devices like Firestick, Chromecast, or Apple TV.
