China will remain on top with 300 million users, says report.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: India is set to overtake the US as the country with the higher number of Internet users, says a new report.
Released by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and Indian Market Research Bureau (IMRB) International, the report says that internet usage in India has risen by over 40% in 2013, with 205 million users. The report also estimates that by the end of the year, that number could hit 213 million.
The rise in Indian internet users means that the country will become the second-highest in the world in terms of internet users by June of next year. China, which currently has 300 million users, will continue to be number one, while the US, which currently has 207 million users, will dip to number three. India is estimated to have 243 million when it takes the number two slot.
The report also delves into what internet sites were visited the most often, shedding light on what users actually do with all that time on the internet. The findings show that 90% use the internet for online communication, with 78% of those users using email specifically (as opposed to a dedicated online chat client, like Facebook Chat). Seventy-five percent use social networking websites, and 69% go on for entertainment such as video, music, and online shopping.
Indian internet usage has increase dramatically in recent years. After taking 10 years to grow from 10 million to 100 million, it has now hit 200 million in just three years. Mobile internet is also adding to the increase in total number of users, with a penetration rate of 65% among urban users, which number somewhere around 108 million.
The rural areas of the country have also experienced large internet usage surges, with a 58% increase since 2012. The rural usage base is estimated to grow from 68 million to 72 million by the end of 2013. Rural mobile users are also growing, with about 32% of users only getting their internet from the mobile devices.
To contact the author, email to deepakchitnis@americanbazaaronline.com