India’s entertainment and media (E&M) industry is projected to grow 7.4% annually to $36.7 billion by 2030 from $25.7 billion in 2025, with digital advertising, video OTT and gaming driving much of the growth even as traditional TV and print remain resilient, according to a PwC report published Thursday.India’s growth rate is nearly twice the global E&M industry rate of 4%, the report said.After an initial phase focused on building audiences and scale, the industry is moving towards monetising engagement, improving revenues and strengthening user economics. PwC also said consumers are increasingly willing to pay for immersive experiences across music, sports and cinema.Also read: Media measurement must shift from outputs to business outcomes: WPP Media’s Navin Khemka“Companies that combine innovation with relevance, operational discipline, and trust will be best placed to lead the next phase of growth,” said Rajesh Sethi, partner and leader—media, entertainment, and sports, PwC India.Internet advertising is expected to be the largest growth driver, with revenue rising from $7.5 billion in 2025 to $14.3 billion by 2030, a 13.9% CAGR, supported by search and video advertising.Video OTT revenue is projected to grow 10.2% annually from $2.2 billion to $3.6 billion by 2030. Advertising-supported offerings are becoming an important revenue stream alongside subscriptions, with platforms focusing on engagement, retention, revenue per user, premium content and regional programming.Gaming and esports revenue is expected to rise 11.3% annually from $1.5 billion in 2025 to $2.6 billion by 2030, with in-game advertising, sponsorship-led e-sports and recurring revenue models gaining importance.The report said AI is increasingly being used across content creation, production, discovery, advertising and audience engagement to improve efficiency and monetisation.Also read: Zee allots Rs 2,639 cr warrants to promoter entity, gets Rs 660 cr upfrontData connectivity revenue is projected to rise from $36.5 billion to $58.6 billion by 2030, a 9.9% CAGR, supported by expanding mobile, broadband, fibre and 5G infrastructure, it noted.Traditional TV revenue is projected to rise from $7.2 billion to $7.5 billion, while newspaper revenue is expected to increase from $3 billion to $3.5 billion by 2030. PwC attributed their resilience to regional audiences, advertiser demand, trusted brands and deeper integration between traditional and digital channels.
India’s E&M industry resilient on strong user engagement, ad push
India's entertainment and media industry will grow to $36.7 billion by 2030. Digital advertising and video OTT will lead this significant expansion. Gaming and esports revenue is also projected for substantial annual growth. Traditional TV and print media will remain resilient and continue to grow.










