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.

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.