Internet users grows by 17 per cent in India, says comScore

According to a study by US-based internet research firm comScore, the number of internet users in India has grown by 17 per cent to 35.8 million as of September 2009, compared to 30.7 million users a year ago. The comScore study included internet users of 15 years and above and excluded searches from public computers such as internet cafes and access from mobile phones or PDAs.

''Asia is not only home to the largest internet population in the world, but it is also one of the fast-growing,'' said Will Hodgman, comScore executive vice president for the Asia-Pacific region. ''With most markets in the region experiencing double-digit growth, marketers and advertisers have the opportunity to capitalise on the potential of the online channel to reach and engage a surging number of people engaging in a variety of consumer activities online, including reading content, watching video, playing online games, engaging with brands, conducting financial transactions and making online purchases.''

The study also found that the Asia-Pacific region has seen significant growth in the past year, increasing 22 per cent to nearly half a billion visitors to internet sites, with most individual countries in the region experiencing double-digit growth rates. With 484 million people online, the region now accounts for 41 per cent of the total 1.2 billion person global internet audience.

China, Japan and India were found to be fuelling the growth in the number of internet users in the region. China, home to the largest internet population in the world, experienced a 31 per cent increase to 220.8 million, making it the fastest-growing internet country in the region. Japan saw its online population surge 18 per cent to 68.3 million.