India Crosses 950 Million Active Internet Users, But 579 Million Still Offline

India has made a significant leap in digital adoption, with the number of active internet users surpassing 950 million. However, a substantial portion of the population—approximately 579 million people, or 38%—still remains offline, according to the Internet in India Report 2025 by IAMAI and KANTAR.

Rural India Driving Growth
The report highlights that rural areas are leading India’s digital expansion. Of the total active users, 57% (around 548 million) are from rural regions, showing that villages are adopting the internet nearly four times faster than urban areas.

Short Videos and AI Boost Usage
Short videos continue to fuel the internet boom. Last year, 588 million users watched short videos, accounting for 61% of active users, with rural users outpacing urban viewers. Additionally, 44% of internet users are leveraging AI features, such as voice search, AI-generated images, and chatbots, with the 15–44 age group showing the highest adoption.

E-Commerce Driving Connectivity
Online shopping is also encouraging digital adoption. Among urban users, 230 million (65%) engage in e-commerce, while quick-commerce platforms such as Blinkit and Zepto are attracting more users to the internet.

Rising Multi-Device Usage
The growth in internet usage has also increased multi-device adoption. Currently, 193 million users operate more than one device, up from 165 million in 2024. In urban areas, 31% of users are multi-device users, compared to 12% in rural India, a figure that continues to rise.

The report underscores India’s accelerating digital journey, fueled by rural connectivity, short video content, AI adoption, and e-commerce, while highlighting that bridging the remaining digital divide remains a critical challenge.