India app downloads rebound to 25.5 billion in 2025

India’s mobile application market experienced a rebound in 2025, with total downloads reaching 25.5 billion. According to data from market intelligence firm Sensor Tower, this represents a recovery from 2024, when downloads declined to 24.6 billion from a previous high of 25.9 billion in 2023. The recovery makes India one of the few top global markets to record year-on-year download growth in 2025, alongside Pakistan. Engagement also increased, as the total time spent in apps by users in India rose to 1.23 trillion hours in 2025, up from 1.13 trillion hours in 2024.

This growth was primarily driven by two emerging categories: generative AI assistants and microdrama apps—which are short-form serialized video platforms. Downloads of generative AI apps in India jumped to 602 million in 2025, up from 198 million in 2024, representing an increase of 346 million downloads for AI assistants. Meanwhile, short drama app downloads grew by over 350 million in the country. In the video streaming category, local microdrama providers gained significant traction. Kuku TV ranked fourth in this category globally after its parent company raised $85 million in a Series C funding round led by Granite Asia. Other local players also performed well, including QuickTV, a platform owned by ShareChat where over 40 million users watch microdrama content. By the end of the third quarter of 2025, users in India downloaded more short drama apps than traditional over-the-top (OTT) streaming services like Netflix.

The data also points to a growing footprint for domestic publishers. The share of app downloads from local players in India rose from 33.91% to 36.52%. However, Sensor Tower notes that this shift could be due to users downloading more apps related to quick commerce (ultra-fast grocery and delivery services), government services, and finance, rather than digital entertainment products. This is supported by the fact that the share of revenue from in-app purchases for domestic publishers remained flat.

Why it matters

India’s market resilience highlights a shift in consumer behavior toward high-utility AI and entertainment formats, even as traditional social media categories face saturation.