Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, May 1: YouTube CEO Neal Mohan on Thursday hailed India as a rising ‘Creator Nation,’ revealing that the platform has paid over Rs 21,000 cr to Indian creators, artists, and media companies over the past three years.

Speaking at the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES 2025), Mohan emphasized YouTube's significant role in India's rapidly growing creator economy. He announced that the video-sharing giant plans to invest more than Rs 850 cr over the next two years to support this expansion.

“Over 100 million Indian channels uploaded content in the past year alone, and more than 15,000 channels have crossed the one-million subscriber mark,” Mohan said, underscoring the explosive growth of content creation in India. He further added that YouTube’s ability to connect creators with audiences globally has made it a powerful engine of cultural export. "India isn't just a world leader for film and music it's rapidly becoming a 'Creator Nation'," he declared.

Mohan highlighted the success of Indian content globally, noting that in the past year alone, content produced in India garnered over 45 billion hours of watch time from international audiences.

The announcement comes as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his inaugural speech at the summit, emphasized the importance of creative responsibility in the tech-driven world. He urged creators to preserve the emotional depth and cultural richness of their work even as technology advances at a rapid pace.

PM Modi highlighted WAVES as a platform that bridges Indian talent with global opportunities, inviting international investors and storytellers to tap into India’s vibrant creative ecosystem. He encouraged the youth of India to share their "one billion untold stories" with the world, emphasizing their potential to shape a more compassionate and culturally enriched future.