India's Digital Revolution: Rural Surge and Indic Language Boom

India's internet user base is set to exceed 900 million in 2024, largely driven by increased digital content in Indic languages. Rural areas lead this growth, making up 55% of users. The digital gender gap is narrowing, with more women accessing the internet, especially in rural regions.

India's internet user base is anticipated to surpass 900 million this year, fueled significantly by the rising use of Indic languages for digital content, reveals a collaborative report by IAMAI and KANTAR. The 'Internet in India Report 2024' outlines a remarkable 8% year-on-year growth, with 886 million active users recorded.

The report underscores the influence of Indic languages in reshaping online consumption patterns. Remarkably, rural India accounts for 488 million users, representing 55% of the nation's online community. Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam are among the most accessed languages, reflecting their widespread availability.

Highlighting social progress, the report notes a closing digital gender gap, with women now constituting 47% of users. This equates to substantial progress in rural areas, where women leading in device sharing reach 58%. Despite moderated overall growth, rural regions mirror double the expansion rate of urban areas, showcasing untapped digital potential.

(With inputs from agencies.)