India adds 40 mn new internet users each year

This is due to the rise of the non-English speaking internet user. Google’s latest report said that nine out of 10 new internet users in India are likely to be Indian language users.

India is adding 40 million new Internet users on an average every year, among the fastest in the world, led by the rise of the non- English speaking Internet user, according to the latest report by Google published on Thursday.

At 400 million active internet users, India is the second largest internet user market after China. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

“The online space in India has never been this vibrant. Indian internet users are fast adopting (Google’s) search tool and finding comfort in regional languages. With growing connectivity, the rise in searches from non-metro cities across categories is faster than that of the metros,” according to the report titled—

This is due to the rise of the non-English speaking internet user. Google’s latest report said that nine out of 10 new internet users in India are likely to be Indian language users.

“The internet has become the bridge to Bharat’s aspirations. Consumers in non-metros are searching for products related to international travel destinations, beauty, and life insurance more frequently than their counterparts in the metros . They are no longer restricted by the lack of information or access to technology,” the report stated.

At 400 million active internet users, India is the second largest internet user market after China. Online video audience in India is expected to grow to 500 million users by 2020. “There is growing interest in audio-visual content across verticals, as watch time on mobile phones rises rapidly. About one-third of all searches for online video are entertainment related,” as per the report. Over 36 minutes per day per user is the average video entertainment content watch time on smartphones. India has 350 million smartphone users.

Online video is also reshaping the way consumers gather information and make purchase decisions. “It is playing a big role in the car-buying path to purchase, with 80% of car buyers using it as a research destination,” the report said.