By Naraway
In this article
In IAMAI and Kantar's count, India had 886 million active internet users in 2024. Of them, 870 million accessed the internet in an Indian language. More of them lived in villages than in cities. And in June 2026, 93 of every 100 Indian mobile web visits came from an Android phone.
Sources: IAMAI-Kantar Internet in India 2024, via The Week and Business Today; StatCounter, June 2026.
The Device Reality
An iPhone-first launch in India reaches under 7% of mobile traffic. That changes more than the build order: testing has to cover the price ranges and Android versions Indian users actually carry, and app size and data use matter more where many users watch their data packs.
Localisation Is Not Translation
"App localization" is searched far more than "app translation" for a reason. Indian users switch languages by context, write Hindi and other languages in the Latin alphabet, and expect search, support and notifications to follow them. A localised Indian app chooses its first languages by where its users are, then adapts onboarding, payment prompts and customer support to match.
What Has to Work on Day One
Payments
UPI processed 24.07 billion payments in September 2026. Subscriptions run on RBI e-mandates: automatic renewals only up to Rs 15,000.
Grievance officer
Apps hosting user content name one under the IT Rules 2021: 24-hour acknowledgement, 15-day resolution.
Personal data
DPDP Act duties phase in to May 2027; under-18 users need verifiable parental consent.
Store accounts
New personal Google Play accounts need 12 testers for 14 days before going live; Apple enrolls organisations with a D-U-N-S number.
The Next Users
Rural India passed urban India in active internet users and is growing faster. Users in both spend similar time online. For most consumer apps, the second 100 million Indian users will look very different from the first.
Part of Naraway's research series India Market Entry in 2026.
In short
An app launching in India meets a market that is mostly Android, mostly non-English and mostly outside big cities. StatCounter put Android at 93% of India's mobile traffic in June 2026. In IAMAI and Kantar's Internet in India report, 870 million users, 98% of the total, accessed the internet in Indian languages in 2024, and rural India had 488 million active users against 397 million urban. Payments run through UPI and RBI's card mandate rules, and apps that host user content must name a grievance officer under the IT Rules.
- Android: 93.05% of mobile traffic in India (June 2026); iOS 6.86%.
- 870 million users (98%) accessed the internet in Indian languages in 2024.
- Rural India: 488 million active users, ahead of urban India's 397 million.
- 57% of urban users prefer content in regional languages.
- UPI processed 24.07 billion payments in September 2026.
Sources
- Internet users in India set to cross 900 mn in 2025 fuelled by surge in Indic language adoption, The Week / PTI
- India's internet revolution: key insights from Kantar and IAMAI report, Business Today
- Mobile operating system market share India, StatCounter
- UPI transactions surge 23% to 24.07 billion in September: NPCI, DD India
Frequently Asked Questions
What share of Indian smartphones run Android?
Android accounted for 93.05% of mobile traffic in India in June 2026, and iOS 6.86%, according to StatCounter.
Do Indian users use apps in Indian languages?
Yes. 870 million users, 98% of the total, accessed the internet in Indian languages in 2024, according to IAMAI and Kantar. 57% of urban users said they prefer regional-language content.
Are most Indian internet users in cities?
No. Rural India had 488 million active internet users in 2024 against 397 million in urban India.
What does it cost to launch an app in India?
It depends on scope: the build, localisation into the languages chosen, Google Play and Apple developer accounts, payments integration and launch marketing. Indian development rates are covered in our app development cost comparison.
What legal requirements apply when launching an app in India?
Apps hosting user content are intermediaries under the IT Rules 2021 and must name a grievance officer; the DPDP Act applies to personal data; subscriptions follow RBI's e-mandate rules.
