Netflix's Indian Production Investment Creates $2B Economic Impact

Netflix's production investment in India has generated a $2B economic impact between 2021 and 2022, according to co-CEO Ted Sarandos. The figure was announced at a government-led event, highlighting the company's contribution to the Indian economy through its local productions.

Netflix's significant investment in local Indian productions has generated a $2 billion economic impact between 2021 and 2024, according to Ted Sarandos, the co-CEO of Netflix. This figure was announced at the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025, underscoring the company's substantial contribution to the Indian economy through its local content initiatives [2].

Sarandos highlighted that Netflix's investments have driven job creation, skill development, and infrastructure growth in India. The company has filmed across more than 100 towns and cities in 23 Indian states, working with over 25,000 local cast and crew members [2]. These initiatives have also created around 20,000 jobs for cast and crew members in the country [3].

The economic impact is further bolstered by the global reach of Indian content on Netflix. In the last year, nearly three billion hours of Indian content were streamed on Netflix globally, amounting to roughly 60 million hours per week [3]. Additionally, an Indian title made it to the company's global top 10 charts, demonstrating the growing international appeal of Indian content [3].

Sarandos emphasized that India's fan-centric approach to film and its potential for a global breakout, similar to Korea's success, is a key factor in the platform's success. He noted that stories must resonate deeply with local audiences before they can find global success. "Nothing will work outside of India if it isn’t loved within India first," he said [2].

Looking ahead, Netflix is poised to continue its investment in India, with the country being on the verge of a major transformation for storytellers, much like Korea was with Squid Game. India's increasing significance as a market for Netflix's future growth is evident, given the increasing demand for digital content in the country, which has the world's second-largest internet user base [3].

References:
[1] https://www.reuters.com/world/india/adani-pauses-talks-with-israels-tower-10-billion-india-chip-foray-sources-say-2025-04-30/
[2] https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/media/entertainment/netflixs-investments-in-india-have-created-economic-impact-of-2-billion-ted-sarandos/articleshow/120849742.cms
[3] https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/business/netflix-s-local-investments-in-india-generated-20-000-jobs/story