Rural India is leading the way in internet consumption, with news also being consumed at the highest rate by the rural Indian population. A recent report by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) revealed several aspects of internet usage in India. According to the report, 3 out of 5 internet users in India access news and information online through various channels such as news apps, websites, social media posts, message forwards, and YouTube.
In comparison, only 1 out of 5 consciously reads news online. Rural India has about 90 million more internet users than urban areas, with a 10% year-on-year growth in internet users compared to a 5% growth in urban areas. Additionally, the rural population leads with 58 million users who watch OTT content on the internet.
Rural India spearheads digital growth
Social media usage shows a significant growth of 39 million more users in rural India compared to urban areas. The report also mentioned a slowdown in online shopping through social media apps, with nearly 1 in 5 online shoppers engaging in such activities in 2024.
However, rural India leads here as well, accounting for 44% of orders on quick commerce apps and websites. On average, internet users spend 90 minutes daily accessing the internet, with urban users spending relatively higher time compared to rural users. The trend of increasing internet usage in rural India is also marked by a surge in Indic language adoption, leading to a 55% increase in rural internet users.
This growth in internet penetration and usage underscores the evolving digital landscape of the country, driven significantly by rural areas. Overall, rural India’s substantial and growing online presence highlights the importance of focusing on digital inclusion and infrastructure development in these regions to sustain and accelerate this trend.
