WAVES 2025: YouTube Unveils INR 850 Crore Investment to Boost India’s Creator Economy

India’s growing reputation as a digital content superpower received a major endorsement at WAVES 2025. YouTube CEO Neal Mohan announced a substantial investment of INR 850 crore to fuel the next phase of India’s creator economy during his keynote address at the first edition of the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES), hosted in Mumbai by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.

YouTube’s latest move underscores the platform’s confidence in India’s creative potential. Mohan stated that more than INR 21,000 crore had already been paid to Indian creators, artists, and media organisations over the past three years. This, he explained, demonstrated the scale of YouTube’s existing contribution and the opportunities still waiting to be unlocked.

Mohan emphasised India’s remarkable use of YouTube’s global network, saying that creators across the country successfully reached audiences worldwide. He referred to India’s transformation from a traditional leader in music and film to what he described as an emerging “Creator Nation.” The phrase captured the essence of a country that is consuming and exporting its culture through digital storytelling.

He revealed that over 100 million Indian YouTube channels had posted content in the past year, with more than 15,000 of them surpassing one million subscribers. In 2023 alone, Indian content accumulated over 45 billion hours of global watch time, indicating widespread international engagement.

According to Mohan, the INR 850 crore investment will strategically strengthen YouTube’s infrastructure in India, enhance partnerships, and introduce training programs for budding creators. These initiatives aim to professionalise content creation and enable local talent to scale their digital ventures into full-fledged businesses.

This announcement comes at a time when India’s creator economy is experiencing unprecedented momentum. With influencers now playing roles far beyond entertainment—ranging from cultural ambassadorship to economic impact—platforms like YouTube are becoming essential pillars in the country’s digital economy.

The WAVES 2025 summit served as a global stage to celebrate this evolution. By spotlighting India’s media and entertainment growth, the summit reinforced the country’s emergence as a digital-first, storytelling-driven economy.