YouTube Pledges ₹850 Crore to Boost India’s Creator Economy at WAVES 2025

 

 

At the inaugural World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025 in Mumbai, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan unveiled a landmark investment of ₹850 crore to be deployed over the next two years. This strategic move reinforces YouTube’s commitment to supporting India’s growing creator economy and propelling the nation’s vision of becoming a global ‘Creator Nation.’

Mohan highlighted India’s remarkable impact on the global digital content landscape, noting that YouTube has already paid out over ₹21,000 crore to Indian creators, artists, and media companies in just the past three years. The platform continues to act as a powerful monetization and exposure tool for the country’s dynamic content community.

In 2023 alone, content generated in India amassed more than 45 billion hours of international watch time, indicating a soaring global appetite for Indian voices and creativity. Furthermore, over 15,000 Indian YouTube channels have now crossed the one million subscribers milestone, showcasing the unprecedented scale at which Indian creators are thriving.

“YouTube is here to support the next generation of creators in India,” Mohan said. 

 

He explained that the new investment will focus on training talent, supporting creativity, and helping Indian creators reach a global audience.
He also mentioned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the most-followed government leader on YouTube globally, with more than 25 million subscribers.

The investment will fuel initiatives such as content creation tools, skill-building programs, localized support, and monetization opportunities, empowering both emerging and established creators. The aim is to unlock more opportunities for regional and vernacular content creators and elevate India's digital storytelling to new heights.

As India cements its position as a global hub for digital creators, YouTube’s latest move signals not just confidence in India’s creative potential, but also a deeper integration of Indian content into the global digital economy.