India’s internet landscape has reached a major milestone, with active internet users crossing 915 million, according to Nielsen’s India Internet Report 2025. The findings reflect a rapidly maturing digital ecosystem, where internet usage is expanding beyond basic access to deeper engagement across entertainment, commerce, and communication.

The report highlights a nearly balanced gender distribution among users, with 52% men and 48% women, signalling broader digital inclusion across demographics and geographies.

India continues to remain a mobile-first internet market, with nearly 94% of users relying on mobile data to stay connected. Smartphone adoption has also grown significantly, with over 622 million Indians owning smartphones. Interestingly, more than one-third of these users share their devices, pointing to multi-user digital consumption within households.

Video content has emerged as the most popular online activity, with 78% of users regularly consuming videos, reinforcing the growing dominance of visual-first digital experiences. Social networking follows closely, engaging 74% of internet users, making social platforms central to everyday online interaction.

The report also notes rising adoption of Connected TV (CTV), particularly in South India. Around 25% of households in the region own smart TVs, significantly ahead of the West (16%), North (10%), and East (5%). Stronger broadband penetration and changing viewing habits are driving this shift.

Nielsen says these trends indicate a move toward more immersive and fragmented digital behaviour, with users navigating multiple apps, devices, and platforms throughout the day.

For brands and media companies, this evolution presents both opportunities and challenges, making audience understanding, personalised content strategies, and platform adaptability essential for success in India’s increasingly digital-first economy.