In 2024, YouTube’s creative ecosystem contributed more than ₹16,000 crore to India’s gross domestic product and supported over 930,000 full-time equivalent jobs, according to research conducted by Oxford Economics. For a platform that began as a video-sharing experiment, the figures reflect a recalibration of India’s creative economy — one increasingly organized around individual creators, digital distribution and algorithmic reach.
A Platform Becomes an Economy
In 2007, YouTube introduced a revenue-sharing model that executives describe as foundational to what is now called the creator economy. At the time, the term “creator” had not yet entered common parlance. Today, the company’s leadership presents that decision as the origin point of a structural shift in how entertainment, education and media are produced and monetized.
In India, the numbers have grown large enough to frame the platform not merely as a distribution channel but as an economic actor. According to the company’s 2024 impact report, YouTube paid out over ₹21,000 crore to creators, artists and media companies in India in the past three years. The platform’s ecosystem contributed more than ₹16,000 crore to national GDP in 2024 alone and supported more than 930,000 full-time equivalent jobs, the report states, citing Oxford Economics research.
The revenue model remains central. Through the YouTube Partner Programme, creators receive 55 percent of advertising and subscription revenue generated from their content. The company says 63 percent of Indian creators who earn money on YouTube consider it their primary source of income. In 2024, more than 65,000 Indian channels earned over ₹100,000.
Executives have pledged continued expansion. The company announced plans to invest more than ₹850 crore over the next two years to accelerate growth for Indian creators, artists and media partners.
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The implications extend beyond individuals. Seventy percent of small and medium businesses with a YouTube channel agreed that the platform played a role in helping them grow revenue, according to the report. Ninety-two percent of music companies surveyed described YouTube as an important source of revenue.
What began as video uploads from bedrooms and college dormitories now functions as a layered commercial ecosystem — spanning advertisers, production crews, merchandise, sponsorships and spin-off ventures.
Building Careers From Curiosity
The scale of change is visible in the stories of individual creators, several of whom the report profiles in detail.
Amit Sharma, an engineering graduate from IIT Roorkee, began uploading experiment videos in 2016 under the name Crazy XYZ. A viral video titled “Bike Vs Road Roller” marked an inflection point, accumulating tens of millions of views and demonstrating the power of the recommendation algorithm to elevate spectacle-driven science content.
Today, his channel counts 33.9 million subscribers and 10.1 billion views. Ninety percent of his income stems from YouTube, primarily through advertising and brand sponsorships. He has grown a 30-person team and invested in a 61,000-square-foot studio.
Shreemani Tripathi, who transitioned from digital marketing to technology-focused content creation, describes an initial period of resistance in a male-dominated sector. After experimenting with formats, she leaned into what she calls “easy entertainment” — combining technical instruction with narrative elements. Her channel now reports 12.8 million subscribers and 4.4 billion views, with brand partnerships serving as the primary revenue source alongside advertising and affiliate marketing.
Anita Bokepalli’s trajectory reflects a different genre shift. Once one of two women on an offshore oil rig, she pivoted to lifestyle and wellness content in 2017. A video documenting her commitment to 108 Surya Namaskars daily for 30 days expanded her subscriber base from 3,000 to over 64,000 within a month. Her channel now generates 100 percent of her income through advertising, sponsorships and online yoga classes, with 713,000 subscribers and 268.6 million views.
Across categories — science, technology, mindfulness, finance — creators describe the platform not only as a revenue engine but also as professional infrastructure: a training ground in editing, scripting, lighting and audience engagement. The report includes testimony from creators who credit YouTube with teaching them how to produce content at scale and manage teams.
In many cases, the platform’s growth has enabled expansion beyond video. Channels have launched product lines, educational kits, journals and online courses, transforming personal brands into diversified businesses.
Exporting Culture, Amplifying Music
The platform’s cultural reach is equally emphasized. Eighty-two percent of music companies with a YouTube channel agreed that the platform helps them reach new audiences worldwide, according to the report. Eighty-one percent said it is critical to breaking new artists, and 73 percent described it as valuable for discovering diverse talent.
For the rapper Hanumankind, YouTube functioned as a distribution mechanism that enabled global visibility. His 2024 release “Big Dawgs” marked a turning point, expanding his audience beyond India. His channel now lists 2.7 million subscribers and over 522.7 million views.
Jonita Gandhi, another artist cited in the report, describes the platform as providing a direct connection to audiences that traditional industry structures could not offer. The data extend to media companies. Seventy-four percent of media companies with a YouTube channel agreed that the platform helps them reach new audiences across the world, and 72 percent said it is helpful during critical moments such as breaking news or crises.
Beyond commercial outcomes, the report frames the platform as a vehicle for preserving and promoting regional culture. Seventy-one percent of users surveyed agreed that YouTube plays a role in preserving local history and culture, while 72 percent said they rely on recommendations to discover creators representing diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
In these metrics, the company positions itself as both economic infrastructure and cultural conduit — a digital stage through which Indian language, music, cuisine and storytelling circulate globally.
A Classroom Without Walls
If entertainment and entrepreneurship dominate one half of the platform’s narrative, education and information shape the other. Ninety-eight percent of users reported using YouTube to gather information and knowledge, according to the report. Seventy-three percent said they often use it to educate themselves.
The platform’s role in news consumption is also highlighted: 50 percent of users have searched for news on YouTube, and 82 percent of those agreed they could find credible and trusted sources there. Seventy-three percent said the platform was helpful during critical moments by providing timely or authoritative information.
Teachers appear to be frequent adopters. Ninety-seven percent of teachers who use YouTube reported incorporating its content into lessons or assignments, and 93 percent agreed that it helps students continue learning outside the classroom.
Parents, too, describe reliance on the platform and its companion app for children. Seventy-six percent agreed that YouTube or YouTube Kids plays an important role in their children’s discovery of the world, and 75 percent of parents of teenagers said it helps their children find a sense of community they struggle to find elsewhere.
Creators in finance and law, such as the founders of Labour Law Advisor, have built audiences by simplifying complex subjects like employment benefits and tax policy. Their channel reports 5.31 million subscribers and 1.86 billion views, alongside the launch of online courses and a stationery brand.
For many of these creators, the platform operates as both classroom and marketplace — a place to translate specialized knowledge into accessible form while building sustainable careers.
