YouTube’s creative ecosystem contributed over ₹18,000 crore to India’s gross domestic product (GDP) and supported more than 9.6 lakh full-time equivalent jobs in the country in 2025, according to a report by Oxford Economics released on September 29, 2026.
The report found that the number of YouTube channels in India generating six-figure or higher annual revenue in rupees rose by over 30% year-on-year. More than 18,000 Indian channels have now crossed the one-million-subscriber mark, pointing to the scale at which independent creators are evolving into formal media businesses.
The study said 73% of creators who monetise content on YouTube consider the platform their primary source of income. Monetising creators also supported more than three lakh apprentices over the past year, generating local demand for roles such as video editors, camera operators and scriptwriters.
Creative hubs are expanding well beyond metropolitan centres. Jaipur, Lucknow and Kochi have emerged as growing production clusters, while regional-language content is finding significant traction overseas. Over 15% of watch time on content produced by Indian channels now comes from viewers outside the country, and 81% of media companies on the platform said YouTube helped them reach global audiences.
“India’s creative economy has matured into a vital macroeconomic pillar that drives national GDP while actively reshaping global pop culture in real time,” said Gunjan Soni, Country Managing Director, YouTube India.
In a September 29 interview with NDTV cited by Newsbytes, Soni said that approximately 200,000 Indian channels achieved monetisation for the first time in the past year, with AI tools helping creators work within smaller production budgets and dub content into regional languages for wider audiences.
The 9.6 lakh FTE figure is a modelled economic-impact estimate from Oxford Economics covering the broader creative ecosystem, including creators, production workers, suppliers and related businesses, rather than a direct audit of YouTube payouts or payroll positions.
YouTube India’s earlier commitment of ₹850 crore over two years to develop the creator economy, viewed alongside the latest figures, points to the platform’s growing role as both an employment engine and an exporter of Indian cultural content. For HR and talent teams, the data signals a steady shift in how creative talent is being hired, trained and retained outside traditional media employment structures.
