India to Become the Largest Social Media Market by 2029; User Base to Swell by 51% and hit 1.3 Billion

Published September 29, 2024

The number of people using social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, WeChat, or Douyin has soared to over 4.15 billion in 2024, and every fourth social media user comes from China. Although the world’s second-largest country by population has the largest social media audience, that will change in the future. According to data presented by OnlyAccounts.io, India is set to become the largest social media market by 2029, with its user base swelling by 51% to a massive 1.3 billion.

India to Gain Twice as Much New Social Media Users as China and the United States Combined

Social media consumption in India has skyrocketed over the past three years, rising from 2.6 billion hours in January 2020 to 5.5 billion hours last year, and there are several reasons behind this impressive growth.

For a start, the widespread availability of affordable smartphones and data plans has made the internet accessible to millions of Indians who were previously offline. Government initiatives to increase digital literacy have also made more people comfortable using the internet. At the same time, India has a massive tech-savvy youth population eager to adopt new technologies, including social media.

Today, social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp are a huge part of everyday life in India, and their surging user bases have turned the country into one of the fastest-growing social media markets in the world, ready to dethrone China in the future.

According to Statista Market insights survey, the Indian social media user base is expected to swell by a remarkable 51% and hit over 1.3 billion by 2029. That means the country will add a whopping 445 million new social media users in the next five years, or twice as much as China and the United States combined.

The world’s largest social media market, China, is forecasted to add 202 million new social media users in five years, or 55% less than India. All other markets are far below these figures. Statistics show the Indonesian market will see roughly 46 million new users by 2029, while the United States, Mexico, and Brazil will add around 26 million new users.

Every Fourth New Social Media User by 2029 will be from India

With 445 million new social media users in the next five years, India’s global social media audience share will increase significantly. According to Statista, every fourth new social media user by 2029 will be from India, while Indians will make up roughly one-fifth of all social media users in the world.

These figures are no surprise considering the time they spend on social media daily. According to the “New age digital media consumption: A survey of Social Media, OTT Content Online Gaming” survey released by Delhi-based NGO, Esya Centre, and Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, almost 90% of internet users in India are active on social media every day. The survey also showed Indians, on average, spend 194 minutes daily on social media, three times more than on video games or OTT platforms.

Jastra Kranjec

Jastra is an editor, writer, and PR specialist with years of experience in news, research, and report writing. Over the years, she has covered different topics and markets, including social media, digital content, the creator economy and the entertainment industry.