'India’s influencer marketing sector surpasses ?10,000 crore milestone'

India’s influencer marketing industry has crossed ?10,000 crore in real deployment, according to a new KlugKlug industry analysis—far exceeding the commonly cited estimates of ?3,000–4,000 crore.

The report highlights that only one-quarter of influencer marketing spend in India flows through visible, organised channels, with the remaining 75% occurring directly between brands and creators.

Commenting on the market dynamics, Kalyan Kumar, Co-Founder & CEO of KlugKlug, said, “Influencer marketing has fundamentally evolved in the era of AI, automation, and precision targeting. What we’re seeing now is not just growth but a structural shift in how commerce, content, and consumer intent intersect. Agile, young brands are capturing market share across categories within months of launch, and e-commerce data underscores the measurable impact of influencer-driven content. With intelligent platforms—and KlugKlug leading the way—brands finally gain visibility into what truly works across the creator landscape. This is a pivotal moment for the industry, and its potential is already far larger than previously understood.”

Vaibhav Gupta, Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer, Klug Tech Private Limited, added, “The disparity in India’s influencer marketing figures has persisted because previous analyses relied on limited, agency-visible datasets that never captured the full picture. Our report brings much-needed clarity, and this data is more than a correction—it marks the beginning of a transformation in how influencer marketing is measured, understood, and valued in India. Our goal is to create a transparent, data-driven foundation for the ecosystem going forward.”

The findings also underscore the growing role of thousands of micro and nano creators, who have become the backbone of digital commerce. Additionally, many D2C brands are increasingly running internal influencer programs, deploying upwards of ?20 crore annually.