Mumbai— YouTube CEO Neal Mohan on Thursday hailed India as a rising “Creator Nation” and announced that the platform will invest over ₹850 crore (approximately $102 million) over the next two years to further fuel the country’s booming creator economy.
Speaking at the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025 in Mumbai, Mohan revealed that YouTube has paid more than ₹21,000 crore (around $2.5 billion) to Indian creators, artists, and media companies over the past three years.
“In the past year alone, over 100 million Indian channels uploaded content, and more than 15,000 of those crossed the one-million subscriber mark,” Mohan said during his keynote address. “India isn’t just a global leader in film and music—it’s fast becoming a ‘Creator Nation.’”
He emphasized YouTube’s role in helping creators turn passions into thriving businesses and build global audiences. “Last year alone, Indian content generated over 45 billion hours of watch time from international viewers,” he noted.
The announcement came on the same day Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the summit, urging creators to preserve cultural depth and emotional resonance as technology transforms storytelling. He described WAVES as a global bridge between Indian talent and international platforms and invited the world to explore India’s creative potential.
“Young Indians have a billion untold stories,” said PM Modi, encouraging them to shape a more compassionate and culturally rich future through digital expression.
The WAVES 2025 summit brought together top voices from entertainment and tech, positioning India as a global hub for creative innovation and digital storytelling. (Source: IANS)
