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YouTube's Creator Economy Boosts India's GDP by Rs 18,000 Crore, Supports 9.6 Lakh Jobs
M
Moneycontrol•29-09-2026, 16:41
YouTube's Creator Economy Boosts India's GDP by Rs 18,000 Crore, Supports 9.6 Lakh Jobs
- •YouTube's creative ecosystem contributed over Rs 18,000 crore to India's GDP in 2025, supporting more than 960,000 full-time equivalent jobs, according to a report by the Google-owned platform.
- •The jobs created span various roles including cinematographers, sound engineers, scriptwriters, and production professionals, extending beyond major cities to non-metro hubs like Jaipur, Lucknow, and Kochi.
- •India is YouTube's largest market with over half a billion users, and more than 20,000 channels in India had over one million subscribers as of June 2026.
- •Over 200,000 YouTube channels earned money for the first time in India in the past year, with 73% of monetizing creators stating the platform is their primary income source.
- •YouTube is focusing on AI-powered creation tools, ecosystem partnerships, and responsible AI to drive future growth, including an Rs 850 crore investment over two years to accelerate India's creator economy.
Key Questions Answered
YouTube's creative ecosystem contributed over Rs 18,000 crore to India's GDP in 2025, which was an increase from the previous year's contribution of over Rs 16,000 crore.
The platform's creative ecosystem supported the equivalent of more than 960,000 full-time jobs across India in 2025, spanning various professional roles like cinematographers, sound engineers, and scriptwriters.
In May 2025, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan announced an investment of Rs 850 crore over the next two years to accelerate the growth of India's creator economy.
