Tanushree Basuroy
Research expert covering India
Internet usage in India - statistics & facts
With over 900 million internet users, India was the second largest online market in the world, behind China. Despite the large number and a consistent increase in accessibility, internet penetration in the country was just over 50 percent, below the worldwide average. In comparison, 99 percent of populations in the Netherlands, Norway, and Saudi Arabia had access to the internet.
While knowledge seeking remained the primary activity on the Internet among Indian users, its uses diversified over time. With an almost complete shift to the digital ecosystem, there was an increase in streaming videos and music, consuming news, playing games, and ordering groceries and food online. With affordable data plans and budget brands across companies, smartphones remained the key device to the online world. E-commerce, however, was dominated by urban centers, specifically among the more affluent classes. Consequently, this reflected in online banking and digital payments use as well.
Despite these constraints, the Indian internet market was a game-changer for the economy. With the 5G auction in mid-2022, digitization was bound to take the next step in the country.
Internet revolution with roadblocks
One of the main reasons for rapid internet adoption across socio-economic structures was the launch of Digital India in 2015. This was a campaign to make government services available digitally to citizens, establishing the necessary infrastructure with the cheap availability of 4G. The majority of Indian internet users today reside in rural India.While knowledge seeking remained the primary activity on the Internet among Indian users, its uses diversified over time. With an almost complete shift to the digital ecosystem, there was an increase in streaming videos and music, consuming news, playing games, and ordering groceries and food online. With affordable data plans and budget brands across companies, smartphones remained the key device to the online world. E-commerce, however, was dominated by urban centers, specifically among the more affluent classes. Consequently, this reflected in online banking and digital payments use as well.
The complexity of connecting all Indians
The main challenge of integrating India’s digital population was addressing its different layers of diversity. Internet inclusion meant the addition of regional languages along with English, addressing the need for digital literacy across socio-economic layers, specifically among women. What added to this challenge was the government’s clampdown on free speech and content regulation within the digital ecosystem. India ranked among the highest for restrictions on internet worldwide in recent years.Despite these constraints, the Indian internet market was a game-changer for the economy. With the 5G auction in mid-2022, digitization was bound to take the next step in the country.
