India’s advertising industry has officially crossed the ₹1 lakh crore mark in FY25, growing at an average annual rate of 6–7% over the last five years, according to a report by CRISIL Ratings.
The most notable shift? Digital media now accounts for 45-46% of total ad spends-up from just 24% in FY20—cementing its place as the dominant force in India’s evolving advertising landscape.
In contrast, traditional media-once the backbone of ad budgets-is losing ground. TV and print, which commanded nearly 65% of ad spend in FY20, have seen their combined share fall to around 46-47% in FY25. CRISIL projects that in FY26, digital ad spends will grow by 9-11%, while traditional media is expected to remain largely flat, further widening the divide.
“The trend reflects how India’s content consumption habits are shifting,” CRISIL noted. Television is under pressure from two sides: viewers are migrating to OTT platforms, while distribution is losing out to fibre-based services. Notably, the DTH segment has lost over 1 crore subscribers between December 2020 and 2024.
Print media continues to struggle with stagnant circulation and declining readership—down nearly 500 basis points between FY20 and FY25-as news consumption moves online.
Consumer-facing sectors like FMCG, automobiles, and e-commerce are driving the digital surge. “FMCG brands now allocate 55–60% of their ad budgets to digital, up from 30% in FY20,” said Pushan Sharma, Director at CRISIL Intelligence.
With better targeting, cost efficiency, and creator-driven engagement, digital platforms are prompting brands to adopt digital-first strategies, redefining how India advertises in a content-rich, data-driven era.
