Calling upon India’s young creators to drive the nation’s “Orange Economy” forward, acknowledging that their passion and hard work are shaping a new wave of creativity, PM Modi emphasized that whether they are musicians from Guwahati, podcasters from Kochi, game designers in Bengaluru, or filmmakers in Punjab, their contributions are fuelling India’s growing creative sector.
Ahead of the Summit, the Centre last month announced a $1 billion fund to give a boost to India’s emerging creator economy. “A $1 billion fund will be created for the creator’s economy which will be basically for making sure that all our energetic creators using the latest technologies today, will be able to get access to capital and hone their skills, upgrade their production levels and reach out to the global market,” Union information and broadcasting minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had said. Alongside the $1 billion fund, the government has also sanctioned Rs 391 crore for establishing the Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT), aimed at fostering expertise in creative and digital technologies.
WAVES 2025 aims to provide content creator with a platform to produce high-value content. The initiative aims to support digital content creators by providing access to funding, skill development and global market opportunities.
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Why the creator economy matters
Easier and cheaper access to the internet has been fuelling India’s creator economy with lakhs of people, especially the youth, creating content on social media channels such as YouTube.While India’s content creators and social media influencers are emerging as a mega industry as they are also becoming crucial for marketing strategies of corporates through brand partnerships, they are seen as a powerful media to build India’s global soft power just as Hindi cinema has done. The emerging content industry also holds a lot of potential to create employment for a large number of youth as content makes way for business opportunities in sectors such as fashion, travel, fitness, food and finance.
In December last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the creator economy is bringing new energy to India’s efforts to become a $5 trillion economy. Mentioning how legendary actor Raj Kapoor made India a soft power through films, the PM emphasised the importance of the creator economy which can showcase India’s culture and traditional knowledge to the world. The creator economy has also dovetailed into marketing.
An EY report last year pointed out the huge growth potential of India’s influencer economy which is part of the larger creator economy. “It is an opportune time for influencers in India, as 86% of them anticipate a significant increase in their income over the next two years. In addition, the emergence of short video platforms, particularly popular among users from non-metro areas, has introduced a fresh dimension to content consumption. Brands are also increasingly acknowledging the potential of the creator economy and are ramping up their investments in influencer marketing, with sectors such as FMCG, automobiles and consumer durables.”
The government also aims to make India a net exporter of content. Underlining the export potential of India’s creator economy, the government has launched WAVES Bazaar in the lead-up to the World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES). A global e-marketplace, WAVES Bazaar is a platform designed to connect India’s vast creative talent pool with international markets. The platform enables users to showcase their content, pitch projects, and build meaningful connections that transcend geographical boundaries. It simplifies global business interactions by offering tailored tools and resources, ensuring creators and businesses can expand their reach while discovering new opportunities for growth and success. WAVES Bazaar will unite creators, buyers and collaborators from across various entertainment sectors.
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Why is India’s creator economy gaining attention?
A recent report by Qoruz, an Influencer Marketing Intelligence Platform, has revealed the rise of the influencer ecosystem in India over the last four years. From just 962,000 influencers in 2020, the creator economy has expanded to 4.06 million influencers in 2024, reflecting a staggering 322 per cent growth.
This rapid growth highlights the increasing reliance on authentic, creator-driven content as brands tap into the power of influencer-led marketing to connect with their audiences. Gaming has been one of the fastest-growing categories, achieving a remarkable 213 per cent growth between 2020 and 2022 and reaching 467,000 influencers by the end of 2024. Travel influencers have rebounded strongly after the pandemic, showing a 212 per cent surge in 2023 and firmly establishing themselves as a critical part of the ecosystem. Parenting influencers have also shown steady growth, rising from 87,000 in 2020 to 362,000 in 2024, demonstrating the increasing demand for family-focused and relatable content.
Categories such as Fashion, Beauty, and Tech have remained consistent performers, with Fashion leading the pack with 470,000 influencers by the end of 2024. The report also notes significant growth in niche categories such as Infotainment and Finance, which have rapidly gained traction. Infotainment recorded a 126 per cent growth rate, while Finance grew by 91 per cent between 2020 and 2022. By 2024, Infotainment influencers reached 203,000, and Finance grew to 232,000. In 2025, Fashion, Arts and Entertainment, and Gaming are projected to lead in influencer numbers, with evolving audience preferences driving their growth. Fashion is expected to maintain its dominant position with 470,000 influencers, while Arts and Entertainment and Gaming are projected to reach 430,000 and 467,000 influencers, respectively.
Beyond these leading categories, other segments have also shown notable growth. Health and Fitness, a category fueled by the post-pandemic focus on wellness, grew steadily, doubling its influencer base to reach 295,000 in 2024. The Food category, despite a brief decline, bounced back to end 2024 with 242,000 influencers, driven by the rise of culinary enthusiasts and at-home chefs. Aditya Gurwara, co-founder and head of brand alliances at Qoruz, remarked, “Over the years, we’ve seen a significant shift in how brands approach their marketing strategies. Influencers have moved beyond product endorsements to becoming strategic partners for brands. They create authentic, context-driven content that resonates deeply with audiences, making campaigns more impactful than ever before. Categories like Gaming, Travel, and Lifestyle are growing at an exceptional pace, and brands have an incredible opportunity to align with creators who truly understand their audiences.”
Influencers riding high on brands
About 12% content creators in India earn between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 10 lakh a month now, according to an EY report last year on the state of influencer marketing in India. About 86% creators expect nearly a 10% hike in income over the next two years, while 77% creators reported unspecified income growth in the last two years. Influencer marketing is expected to grow by 25% in 2024, reaching Rs 2,344 crore and rising to Rs 3,375 crore by 2026, as per the report.
Roughly 40% to 57% brands in categories like FMCG, ecommerce, and automobile are expected to increase spending on influencer marketing by 10% by 2026. Driving awareness and engagement for the brand ranked higher among influencer campaign objectives compared to lead generation and sales conversion. At present, 29% marketers are exploring performance-linked models to drive influencer accountability, the report said.
However, “as volatile times push marketers to spend on more sure-footed channels that deliver on return on investment, brands will move away from metrics like cost per impression and engagement and link their influencer marketing initiatives with sales conversion,” Devarajan Iyer, executive director & CEO, Lifestyle International, told ET last year. About 47% of brands preferred driving influencer campaigns with nano and micro influencers – creators with 100 to 100,000 followers – due to lower cost per reach, the report noted.
Iyer observed that large brands tend to go with mega influencers who have over a million followers. There are about 7,000 content creators falling in that category. “Smaller brands driving new labels are more likely to use a lot of nano and micro influencers to build their brand,” he added. About 73% content creators work for less than 10 hours a week, compared to up to 39 hours abroad, the report added, giving the impression that majority creators look at content creation as a side hustle and that perhaps only 30% are getting brand deals consistently for them to be occupied with content creation as a full-time job.
