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Social Media Users in India (2026 Data)

Edited On: May 19, 2026

Tushar R Behera

September 4, 2024

India is home to over 500 million social media users, making it the second-largest social media market on the planet after China. This figure is backed by cheap mobile data rates, affordable smartphone prices, and a population where over 65% of individuals are under the age of 35.

What people scroll, share, and engage with on these platforms now directly influences everything from brand spending to election outcomes. In this post, we break down the key social media demographics shaping India and the world.

As of 2026, there are over 5.79 billion social media users worldwide, making up about 69% of the global population. India, with its 500+ million count, makes up 8.6% of the global social media user base.

As of 2026, there are over 5.79 billion social media users worldwide, making up about 69% of the global population. India, with its 500+ million count, makes up 8.6% of the global social media user base.

In this post, we are shedding light on the social media demographics of India and the globe.

Top Picks From This Post

• India has over 500 million social media users as of 2026, which makes up 34% of the country’s population.
• YouTube is the most used social media platform in the country, with 500 million users, followed by Instagram (481 million), Facebook (403 million), Snapchat (250 million)
• There are 30 million X (Twitter) users in the country.
• An average Indian spends 2 hours and 44 minutes daily on social media platforms.
• Around 68.6% of social media users in India are male, while 31.4% are female.
• WhatsApp is the most popular social networking platform in India, with 535 million users.

History of Social Media Platforms in India

The timeline of social networking platforms is more recent than you might expect. Check out the infographic below to see when each social media platform entered the Indian market.

Social Media Users In India In 2026

There are over 500 million social media users in India as of 2026, making up 34.25% of its population. It ranks second globally in social media users, following China, which leads with 1.28 billion users. The United States holds third place with 254 million users.

By 2029, 1.3 billion Indians are expected to actively use social media platforms.

Social Media Statistics in India by Year

As the Internet has reached a significant portion of the global population, a common query arises: How many people use social media? The following statistics provide an overview of total social networking app users over the years and other key factors.

• As of early 2026, over 1.03 billion people in India use the internet. Among them, 49.86% actively engage with social media platforms.
• Globally, roughly 5.66 billion people actively use social media.
• 6.04 billion people worldwide use the Internet. Of these, 93.71% are already active on at least one social network platform.

• Internet user statistics show that social media usage in India increased by 5.23% from 2024 to early 2026. In contrast, global social media usage decreased by 0.81% during the same period.
• Reports from GWI suggested that the average social media user visits approximately 6.7 different platforms each month and spends about 2 hours and 44 minutes on them daily.

Source: DataReportal, Statista, Statista 2, Statista 3.

Most Popular Social Media Platform in India By User Count (2026)

With 500 million users, YouTube is the most popular social media platform in India, with Instagram (481 million users) and Facebook (403 million users) making the top three.

Please State: WhatsApp has 535 million users in India, but we are not considering it here in the table, and the complete post is because it counts more as an instant messaging service.

Source: India Tech and Infra & DataReporta.l

YouTube Users Statistics in India

• YouTube has more than 500 million users in India, making it the largest user base globally.
• It is projected that YouTube will have around 859.26 million users in India by 2029.
• An average Indian spends around 29 hours using the platform monthly.
• The platform’s largest user base in India is between 18 and 35 years old.
• In India, YouTube’s user base consists of 65.5% male users and 34.5% female users.

Instagram Users Statistics in India

• Instagram has 481 million users in India.
• Virat Kohli is the most followed Indian on the platform with 275 million followers.
• 44.4% of Indian users of the platform are from the 18-24 age group.
• 70.8% of Instagram’s users in India are male, and 29.2% are female.

Twitter Users In India

• X has 30 million users in India as of 2026.
• X’s ad reach equals 1.5% of India’s total population.
• Around 1.9% of India’s eligible audience aged 13+ uses X.
• About 2.0% of adults aged 18+ in India use X.
• X reaches 2.2% of India’s internet users.
• X’s adult ad audience in India is 87.4% male and 12.6% female.

Telegram Users Statistics in India 

• Telegram has around 104.04 million users in India and 950 million worldwide.
• India tops the list for Telegram app downloads with around 104 million downloads.
• An average Indian spends around 9 minutes and 39 seconds on the platform per visit.
• The platform’s demographics by gender are 59.41% male and 40.59% female users.
• News is the most popular category on Telegram.

Threads Users Statistics in India

• Threads has over 26.6 million users in India.
• The Thread app was the most downloaded in India on its launch (22%).
• The average time spent per visit on the platform by an Indian is 1 minute and 40 seconds.
• The platform’s app was downloaded 54.2 million times in India.
• Threads has gained a user base of 2 million within 2 hours of its launch.

Which state has the most social media users in India?

According to various surveys conducted in India, it was found that in states where internet penetration is high, social media usage is also high, and vice versa. For example, internet penetration rates in Goa, Maharashtra, and Kerala are 73%, 69%, and 69%, respectively. Surveys indicate that these states also have the most social media users. However, in states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand, where internet penetration is among the lowest in the country, social media penetration remains significantly low.

Social Media User Demographics in India by Gender

Reports suggested that roughly 64.4% of India’s social media users are male, while 35.6% are female. Upon calculation, we can say that there are around 322 million male users and 178 million female users.

Recent surveys indicate that the number of female social media users in India is rapidly increasing. Soon, the percentage of female users is expected to match that of male users.

Gender Distribution on Social Media Platforms in India: Who Uses Them More?

In India, social media adoption rates have consistently favoured male users. Facebook leads with 72.7% male users and 27.3% female users. Instagram and YouTube are in the second and third positions, with 69.7% and 61.2% male users, respectively.

Instagram and YouTube are widely popular among female users, with each platform attracting over 29.9% and 38.8% of them, respectively.

The table below illustrates the current distribution of social network users by gender across various platforms in India:

Source: DataReportal

Social Media Users in India by Age

38.1% of India’s population aged 18 and above use social networking platforms. Reports revealed that most users using popular platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Facebook Messenger are between 18 and 34.

This table will help you understand the user demographics of Facebook, Facebook Messenger, and Instagram by age and gender in India.

Source: DataReportal

Average Time Indians Spend on Different Social Media Platforms

Regarding time spent on social media apps, Indians spend around 1 hour and 30 minutes per day watching videos on YouTube. Instagram and Facebook follow the list with 1 hour and 19 minutes, and 1 hour and 06 minutes, respectively.

The table below provides complete information about the time Indians spend on social media daily.

Source: DataReportal, Statista

Time Spent on Social Media by Indian Youth

IIM-Rohtak conducted a study involving 38,896 youth aged 18 to 25 years to study how much time Indian youth spend on social media daily.

• On average, male users spend 6 hours and 45 minutes on social media apps, while female users spend 7 hours and 5 minutes.
• The study also revealed that around 60.66% of youth use social networking apps the most during evening hours.
• Entertainment-related content leads the list of Content Preferences with 54.52% viewership. It is followed by professional and self-help content (26.23%), education, knowledge, and news content (14.28%), and political content (4.97%).
• The most commonly used social media platforms among Indian Youths are Instagram (31.27%), WhatsApp (28.32%), Snapchat (19.78%), and Facebook (17.20%).
• OTT platform usage has also increased exponentially in the past few years. YouTube leads the list with roughly 32.03% viewership.

Average Time Spent on Social Media by Age and Gender in India

The average social media usage of the Gen Z population in India is around 3 hours daily. On the other hand, millennials are in the second spot with an average usage of 2 hours and 48 minutes daily. Users above 55 years use social media apps for 1:46 hours per day only. Reports also suggest that females in the country use social media apps more than the male population.

The table below shows the average time Indians spend using social media apps daily.

Source: Soax

How Does Social Media Affect Youngsters in India?

LocalCircles found that 39% of Indian youngsters (ages 9 to 17) feel aggressive after using social media. Other emotions reported include impatience (37%) and lethargy (27%).

Refer to the table below for detailed information on the emotional and mental health impact of social media on young people in India.

Source: LocalCircles

Social Media Rules and Regulations in India

In India, social media is primarily regulated by the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. Here are a few rules and regulations introduced by the Government of India for social media usage:

Major 2026 Amendments (Effective Feb 20, 2026)

The government has updated the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, to specifically regulate Synthetically Generated Information (SGI), including AI-generated content and deepfakes:

• 3-Hour Takedown Rule: Social media platforms must remove “unlawful or harmful” content within 3 hours of a government/court order, replacing the earlier 36-hour deadline.
• Mandatory AI Labeling: Any AI-generated or modified content must be clearly and prominently labeled, so users can easily identify it.
• Traceability and Metadata: Synthetic content must include embedded permanent metadata or identifiers that cannot be easily removed, ensuring traceability.
• User Declarations: Users must disclose if their content was created using AI before uploading it. Platforms are also expected to use automated tools to verify and validate these disclosures.
• Frequent Warnings: Every three months, platforms must send users a reminder about penalties for improper use of AI content.

Core IT Rules (2021 Framework)

The IT Rules 2021 remain the foundation of social media regulation in India, setting out obligations for platforms:

Significant Social Media Intermediaries (SSMIs)

Social media platforms with over 5 million users in India, such as WhatsApp, Instagram, and X, face stricter compliance requirements:

• Chief Compliance Officer: A resident Indian official responsible for ensuring legal compliance.
• Nodal Contact Person: Available 24/7 to coordinate with law enforcement.
• Resident Grievance Officer: Handles user complaints and must acknowledge them promptly.
• Monthly Compliance Reports: Platforms must publish stats on how they handled grievances and takedowns.
• Traceability of First Originator: Authorities can request the identity of the first sender of problematic messages. This issue is subject to legal dispute due to encryption-related concerns.

General Due Diligence (Applies to All Platforms)

All platforms must:

• Maintain a grievance redressal mechanism for users.
• Act against prohibited content, which includes information that:
• Threatens national security or public order.
• Is defamatory, obscene, or pornographic.
• Includes Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).
• Infringes intellectual property rights like patents and trademarks.

Penalties and Safe Harbour

• Safe Harbour Under Section 79 of the IT Act: Platforms are generally not held liable for user content if they follow due diligence requirements laid out in the IT Rules.
• Loss of Protection: If platforms do not comply, such as missing takedown deadlines within three hours, they could lose safe harbour protection and be held legally responsible under laws like the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

GrabOn’s Final Say

In the above blog, we discussed the demographics of social media users in India and worldwide. The Internet penetration rate in India is increasing rapidly every year, resulting in the rise of the social media user base. We have also seen a dip in the Y-o-Y growth rate of these platforms’ user count. However, the major concerns with social media usage that need to be curbed are mental health and online fraud. Our Indian Government has taken various steps to resolve these issues, but stricter actions must be taken in the future.