 "How a growing internet user base helps start-ups, small businesses and Digital India")
According to a recent report by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and Indian Market Research Bureau (IMRB), the number of internet users in India is expected to reach 402 million by December 2015, growth of 49% over last year. The report says about 306 million of them access internet from their mobile devices, compared with the 276 million who did so in October this year.
“While internet in India took more than a decade to move from 10 million to 100 million, and three years from 100 million to 200 million, it took only a year to move from 300 to 400 million users. Clearly, internet is mainstream in India today,” the report said.
Search giant Google has taken notice. In a blog post on Wednesday, Rajan Anandan, vice-president and managing director, sales & operations, Google SEA & India, wrote: “We’re focused on getting the next billion people online, and the majority of them will come from India. We want to make sure they have a great, reliable, and relevant experience when they get there.
“With over 300 million internet users in the country and another 200 million Indians set to join by 2017 (according to a IAMAI iCube report), the internet is opening up huge opportunities for Indian businesses and entrepreneurs. India’s small and medium businesses (SMBs), especially technology start-ups, are starting to bloom and investments have led to an explosion in India’s tech sector in recent years. At over 4,100 enterprises, India has the third-highest number of tech start-ups in the world; this number is expected to reach several thousands by 2020.”
India to overtake the US
India's internet population was expected to surge to 462 million by June next year, the report said. The total internet user base, at over 300 million in December last year, grew to 375 million by October this year. “Currently, India has the third-largest internet user base in the world but it is estimated that India will overtake the US (as the second-largest base) by December. China currently leads with more than 600 million internet users,” it said.
Anandan's blog talks about the huge opportunities in bridging the gap between businesses and customers. “India has over 51 million small and medium businesses. However, very few have an internet presence. When we first engaged SMBs in India, our mission was simple: Help them get online. Since then, we’ve invested in educating SMBs — to learn more about the web and the tools available to help their business be discovered and succeed online. Today, we’re helping small and medium businesses grow — expanding their customer bases across the country and also, across the region and going global.”
For the SMBs
Anandan then goes on to talk about a service Google unveiled on Wednesday. “We’re very excited to launch a dedicated destination (g.co/digitalindia), where we attempt to capture how this digital revolution is unfolding in India. With real stories of entrepreneurs and small and medium businesses, this destination showcases how they’re achieving their dreams, goals and aspirations, and how Google is enabling them in these achievements.”
The idea is to build internet presence for 20 million SMBs in the country, which can in turn be accessed on mobile phones. “Two million SMBs have already found a home on the internet, through Google My Business,” Anandan writes. “When 20 million SMBs have such stories to share, we will have truly achieved our vision. We are committed to this vision and will continue to contribute in accelerating India’s pace to become the powerhouse of world-class innovation, entrepreneurship and development.”
Taking a cue from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Digital India initiative, Anandan wrote: “With this destination, we want to showcase what that vision will translate into, by sharing the development and growth powered by SMBs, Indian start-ups, entrepreneurs and publishers.”
