Netflix Launches India Creator Initiative As Ted Sarandos Bets Big On Local Content, AI

Netflix has launched the Netflix India Storytelling Initiative, a new programme aimed at training and supporting creators across animation, visual effects, gaming and comics (AVGC), as the streaming giant deepens its long-term investment in India. 

Under the initiative, Netflix will partner with the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) and the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) to train young talent for the entertainment industry.

Through its partnership with NFDC, Netflix will also support training for accessibility roles, including audio description writers and voice professionals, to make Indian films and series more accessible.

The programme builds on Netflix’s decade-long presence in India, during which it has produced more than 200 originals and filmed across more than 100 locations.

The announcement comes amid Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos’s India visit. Yesterday, Sarandos met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed India’s growing influence in global entertainment and the potential of its media sector, ANI reported. Sarandos was accompanied by Netflix’s India head Monika Shergill. 

India Central To Netflix’s Growth Plans

India is emerging as one of Netflix’s most important growth markets as the company looks to expand its global subscriber base. 

In an interview with The Economic Times, Sarandos said Netflix has an estimated 20-25 Mn paid subscribers in India, compared with its global subscriber base of more than 325 Mn.

“There could be no Netflix globally without India. You can’t be successful without it,” Sarandos said.

He said India’s large entertainment audience, diverse creator ecosystem, rising smartphone and connected TV adoption, and affordable internet access make it a critical market for the streaming platform.

However, Sarandos added that India cannot be treated as a single market, given its linguistic and cultural diversity, requiring Netflix to invest across multiple genres, languages and formats.

Notably, Netflix’s India strategy has evolved over the years. While the company initially focused on premium scripted content with shows such as Sacred Games, it later expanded into reality and unscripted programming. 

Sarandos cited shows such as Lock Upp and The Great Indian Kapil Show as examples of Netflix broadening its content portfolio. He added that Indian consumers are “value-conscious, not just price-conscious”, and are willing to pay for platforms that consistently deliver compelling content. 

Netflix’s mobile-only subscription plan was first piloted in India before being rolled out in other markets.

On sports streaming, Sarandos said Netflix is unlikely to compete for full-season rights such as the Indian Premier League (IPL), preferring instead to focus on selective live events and special-format programming.

While Netflix does not disclose country-level profitability, Sarandos said the company is satisfied with the economics of its India business.

He added that Netflix has not pursued a “loss leader” strategy to acquire market share, instead focusing on delivering enough value for users to retain their subscriptions.

“We want to be the first place you check and the last service you cancel,” Sarandos told ET.

AI To Reshape Entertainment Production 

Sarandos also described AI as a transformative force for the entertainment industry, comparing its impact with the shift from hand-drawn animation to computer-generated animation. 

According to ET, Netflix is already using AI across pre-visualisation, production planning, visual effects and post-production workflows. 

Sarandos said AI could lower the cost of advanced filmmaking techniques, including digital de-ageing of actors, making such technologies more accessible to creators. Addressing concerns over job losses, he said previous technological shifts had ultimately created new opportunities across the entertainment industry.

On the launch of Netflix’s advertising-supported subscription plan in India, Sarandos said the company plans to introduce it eventually but is “not there yet”.

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