India’s Meteoric Rise as a Publishing Hub

India’s publishing industry is undergoing a quiet revolution—emerging not just as a major domestic force, but as a key player in the global knowledge economy. With its multilingual population, vast student base, and rising digital adoption, the country is rapidly becoming one of the world’s most dynamic publishing markets. From textbooks that cater to millions of learners, to regional language novels and cutting-edge academic research, India’s publishing ecosystem is defined by both scale and diversity. Backed by robust export performance and digital innovation, India is no longer just consuming content, it’s increasingly shaping the global narrative.

Market size and economic significance

India’s publishing market has expanded in value. It was valued at ~Rs. 50,000 crore (US$ 5.81 billion) in 2019 and grew significantly to Rs. 80,000 crore (US$ 9.30 crore) by 2024. Industry reports even forecast the print-book market alone to reach Rs. 1,00,000 crore (US$ 11.63 billion) by 2024. These figures underscore India’s economic weight; the book trade not only generates revenue but underpins jobs and cultural outreach. The publishing industry is a vital part of the Indian economy and has been developing rapidly.

India’s publishing industry is also highly diverse and segmented. It remains dominated by education and academic content, reflecting the nation’s emphasis on schooling and exams. More than 45% of the books (which are not textbooks) in the trade are sold in the local languages. This showcases India’s cultural and linguistic pluralism as firms regularly publish in Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, Tamil, and other languages. The publishing business highly fragmented with ~9,000 publishers and ~21,000 retailers nationwide. In comparison, trade publishing (fiction, general non-fiction) is small. As one industry analysis explains, Indian publishing is dominated by educational book publishing with a small share of trade book publishing. This educational focus means that textbooks, especially for school exams and engineering/medical entrance tests, form a large part of the output. Indeed, leading Indian publishers like Arihant and Jaypee are known primarily for their exam-oriented and academic titles.

Regional language diversity and educational dominance

India’s multilingual society is vividly reflected in its publishing. Publishers produce titles in dozens of languages: Hindi and English dominate, but Gujarati, Punjabi, Malayalam, Telugu, and others also have large readerships. Trade books in Indian languages account for half of all sales. For instance, CAPEXIL reports that 45% of trade books are sold in regional languages, highlighting the breadth of the market beyond English. At the same time, English is surging in popularity, with India emerging as the world’s fastest growing market for English-language books.

Education publishing plays a foundational role. A substantial portion of India’s publishing revenue comes from school and higher-education content; textbooks, reference works and test-prep guides. This dominance of academic and educational titles reflects India’s demographics: millions of students, competitive exams, and a cultural emphasis on learning. Crucially, government policy further fuels this sector. India’s National Education Policy (NEP) of 2020 is geared towards expanding and restructuring education at all levels, with provisions for teacher training, curriculum innovation and a new National Research Foundation. The NEP 2020 introduced a new educational structure and explicitly aims to foster research and innovation through the establishment of the National Research Foundation.

Export strength and global reach

Based on the export data from Volza covering November 2023 to October 2024, India's printed book export industry demonstrates robust growth and global reach. In this period, India exported 1,18,112 shipments of printed books, involving 2,121 exporters supplying to 6,147 international buyers, reflecting a 6% YoY growth. The momentum continued into October 2024, with 9,157 shipments, a 10% increase compared to October 2023.

With a 60% market share, the United States is the largest importer, covering 1,57,817 shipments. The other major destinations are the United Arab Emirates (22,262 shipments), the United Kingdom (20,655 shipments). These three nations together form 77% of Indian exports in printed books.

Key suppliers such as N.D. International, Repro India Ltd., and Thomson Press India Limited facilitate these exports. Delhi’s ICD Patparganj (PPG) (PPG ICD) emerged as the busiest export port, handling 87,471 shipments.

Digital transition and open access growth

The digital revolution is transforming India’s publishing landscape. E-books, audiobooks and digital news are gaining popularity among a new generation of readers, driven by widespread smartphone use and affordable internet access. A report by Statista states that gadget-embracing Indian customers are more likely to read digital books. Electronic readers such as the Amazon Kindle have led to an increase in e-book adoption. Large and small publishers are increasing their online content. To distribute content electronically and in local languages, multiple Indian publishers have announced apps or partnerships (e.g. Storytel or Audible). CAPEXIL highlights that the continued uptake of digital platforms and e-books in regional languages is maximising their reach to diverse audiences.

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Academic publishing in India is also riding a digital wave, thanks to the open access movement. India’s research output soared, growing 54% from 2017 to 2022 making it one of the world’s top producers of scholarly work. To support this growth, the Indian government launched One Nation, One Subscription (ONOS). This landmark initiative will license 13,184 e-journals from 36 publishers for a budget of Rs. 2,000 crore (US$ 240 million) to ~19 million students and researchers. In effect, ONOS will dramatically expand Indian academics’ digital access to global research. An additional Rs. 150 crore (US$ 17.4 million) is earmarked for covering researchers’ publication fees. Along with the growing use of online repositories and national library platforms, these steps mark a significant open-access growth in Indian publishing. Both domestic and international academic publishers see huge opportunity as more Indian research becomes available online, they can introduce innovative open-access models and broaden the global reach of Indian scholarship.

Government support fuelling the future

The government is considering a National Book Promotion Policy. As part of this effort, the industry has recommended developing a full National Book Database, a catalogue of all Indian books using an International Standard Book Number (ISBN) and a national digital repository of e-books and research (a collection of dissertations, and books written by Indians). Such digital infrastructure would enhance the visibility of Indian publications for readers and scholars (both locally and internationally).

Another major initiative is expanding libraries and institutional access. CAPEXIL reports that plans are underway for a nationwide One Nation, One Subscription approach, whereby public and academic libraries would share digital journal access to cut costs. This idea parallels the ONOS program for research. Meanwhile, the GOI has also supported book fairs, author events and translation schemes to promote Indian literature globally.

Altogether, India is quickly taking firm grip in the global publishing value chain. Its huge, diverse market and multilingual audience generate scale; its booming education and research firms generate volume; its outward export networks and alliances generate reach; and government programs are strengthening the base.

FAQs

What is India’s publishing market size?

India’s publishing industry reached Rs. 50,000 crore (US$ 5.81 billion) in 2019 growing to Rs. 80,000 crore (US$ 9.3 billion) by 2024. Print books may hit Rs. 1,00,000 crore (US$ 11.63 billion).

Why does educational publishing dominate?

Educational content forms 71% of India's print market, driven by 250 million students and exam-focused demand. Top publishers like Arihant specialise in textbooks.

How important are regional languages?

45% of non-textbook sales are in Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, and other regional languages, reflecting India’s linguistic diversity. English remains the fastest-growing global market.

How is digitalisation transforming publishing?

With 886 million internet users as of 2024, e-books/audiobooks are seeing rapid growth. One Nation, One Subscription allocates Rs. 2,000 crore (US$ 240 million) for nationwide digital journal access.