India’s influencer marketing industry has hit a remarkable milestone this year, crossing the ₹10,000 crore mark in real deployment and sparking fresh conversation about the true scale of the creator economy. According to a recent analysis by global influencer marketing SaaS platform KlugKlug, the total spend on influencer marketing in India far exceeds earlier public estimates, positioning the country as a major force in creator-driven brand engagement and digital advertising. This new valuation not only reflects strong demand for influencer collaborations but also reveals how the structure of spending in India has evolved beyond traditional agency channels into direct and in-house brand relationships.
Influencer marketing is bigger than you thought
For years, conventional industry benchmarks pegged India’s influencer marketing sector at around ₹3,000–4,000 crore annually. Those figures were largely based on visible data flowing through agency partners and third-party platforms. However, the KlugKlug analysis shows that the real deployment of influencer marketing spend in India has already crossed ₹10,000 crore — more than double previous estimates.
One of the biggest reasons behind this recalibration is the way brands now engage with creators. According to industry data, only about one-quarter of influencer marketing expenditure is processed through traditional agencies or visible measurement systems. The remaining 75 percent happens directly between brands and content creators, including nano and micro influencers, D2C brand teams, and founder-led campaigns that do not always get captured in conventional reporting.
This shift signals a broader transformation in how businesses approach digital marketing. Instead of solely relying on agency-mediated influencer deals, many companies have built internal creator teams or adopted direct contracts with influencers — often at scale. In fact, more than 100 direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands in India reportedly deploy upwards of ₹20 crore annually through in-house creator programs rather than outsourcing such efforts.
Drivers of growth in India’s creator economy
Several structural forces are propelling India’s influencer marketing boom. First, the rapid expansion of D2C and digital-native brands has created a continuous demand for authentic storytelling that resonates with online consumers. Influencers — especially micro and niche voices — offer relatability and engagement that traditional advertising struggles to match. These collaborations often yield high earned media value, even when they aren’t recorded as formal advertising expenses.
Second, technology and automation have lowered barriers for measurement and campaign execution, encouraging brands to experiment with direct partnerships and performance-led strategies. KlugKlug’s analysis highlights that agile young brands can take significant market share in consumer categories within months by combining data-driven influencer marketing with precision targeting.
Third, the creator ecosystem itself has diversified dramatically. India’s creator landscape now includes millions of influencers across platforms with varied audience sizes — from macro influencers to local and regional voices with highly engaged communities. This breadth offers brands flexibility in budget, messaging, and audience reach, making influencer campaigns more accessible and scalable.
What this means for brands and creators in India
The ₹10,000 crore benchmark is more than a headline — it’s a marker of how deeply integrated influencer marketing has become in India’s media ecosystem. For brands, it underscores the importance of investing in creator partnerships as a core part of digital strategy rather than as an experimental add-on. Increased direct engagement and in-house capabilities also suggest that brands are seeking faster, more measurable returns from influencer collaborations.
For creators, this growing spend translates into expanded opportunities and diverse revenue streams. As brands allocate more budget to influencer initiatives, niche and micro creators are garnering significant deals, especially when their content aligns with brand narratives and cultural contexts relevant to Indian audiences.
India’s influencer marketing industry crossing the ₹10,000 crore milestone is a defining moment for the country’s digital economy. It reveals not just growth in spending but a structural evolution in how brands collaborate with creators. As direct brand-creator relationships expand and internal creator teams become more common, the creator economy is poised to grow even further. Whether you are an influencer, marketer, or brand strategist, understanding this shift is crucial — because influencer marketing in India is no longer a supplementary channel. It is central to how modern brands connect with audiences in the digital age.
