YouTube India MD Gunjan Soni On Creator Economy Boom, ₹21,000 Cr Payout & Future Of Online Shopping

India’s creator economy is witnessing an unprecedented boom  and YouTube is at the heart of it. With over 100 million videos uploaded last year and a thriving ecosystem of diverse, creative voices, the platform has become both a launchpad for new-age entrepreneurs and a powerful space for cultural storytelling.

In this  conversation with Business Today’s Riddhima Bhatnagar, Gunjan Soni, Managing Director of YouTube India, shares how the platform is fueling this growth through innovation, monetization, and AI-powered tools. She reveals that YouTube has paid over ₹21,000 crore to creators, artists, and partners in the past three years, underscoring how digital creativity is translating into real economic opportunity.

Gunjan also talks about the YouTube Shopping Affiliate Program, which merges content, commerce, and creator trust enabling users to shop directly through videos. With partners like Flipkart, Myntra, Nykaa, and Purple, and a 250% growth in shopping-related watch time, YouTube is redefining shoppable video in India.

Addressing how YouTube works with brands, Gunjan explains that the numbers themselves are convincing advertisers  with strong engagement, conversion metrics, and growing viewer trust making creators powerful brand storytellers. By blending authenticity, innovation, and scale, YouTube is helping brands see creators not just as influencers, but as key partners in business growth.