YouTube to Invest Rs 850 Crore in India's Creator Economy, Paving Way for a 'Creator Nation'

YouTube announces a Rs 850 crore investment in India's creator economy, aiming to empower creators and enhance growth. Neal Mohan, YouTube CEO, highlighted India's role as a leading creator nation during the WAVES 2025 summit in Mumbai, with initiatives to boost both local and global audiences.

Google-owned YouTube is set to invest Rs 850 crore over the next two years to spur the expansion of India's creator economy. Neal Mohan, the CEO of YouTube, disclosed this plan during his keynote at the first World Audio Visual & Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025, hosted in Mumbai.

In his speech, Mohan revealed that YouTube has paid Rs 21,000 crore to Indian creators, artists, and media companies over the last three years. He also shared that more than 100 million Indian channels uploaded content last year, with over 15,000 surpassing the one million subscriber mark, underscoring India's rise as a creator powerhouse.

Mohan championed YouTube's role in helping creators turn their passions into thriving businesses. With 45 billion hours of content watched outside India, he highlighted the platform's potential in exporting culture globally. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the summit, emphasizing the opportunity for India to lead in the creation of content for a worldwide audience.