India has 451 million internet users, second only to China

India ranks second globally with about 451 million monthly active internet users, according to a report by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI).

India is second only to China in terms of internet users. Of the 451 million monthly active users, 385 million are over 12 years of age and 66 million are in the age bracket of 5 to 11 years, the report said. 

Both urban and rural India have almost the same number of users, with 192 million as on 31 March, 2019. 

The National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi has the highest Internet penetration followed by Kerala, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab while the states across the Eastern region have the lowest, the report said.

Among cities, Mumbai and Delhi stand at the top with 11.7 million and 11.2 million internet users' respectively. 

Bengaluru and Kolkata with 6.1 million users are in the third position, followed by Chennai with 5.4 million internet users.

About two-thirds of the internet population in India are daily users. Nearly one-third of users access the internet for more than an hour in urban India and 15-20 minutes in rural India, it added.

Women in rural areas continue to suffer from poor access to resources. The report said there is a gender disparity when it comes to internet usage in India. Female internet users’ population is half of the 258 million male Internet users, and the bias is more evident in rural India.

The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), established in 2004, is a professional industry body representing the online industry in India. It is registered under the Societies Act and is a recognised charity in Maharashtra. It has offices in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata.