The Window to India Is Open: Why Focused Strategy Defines the Next Breakthrough in the World’s Fastest-Growing Music Ecosystem

Are you curious about the opportunities one of the fastest-growing music markets in the world offers to songwriters and publishers, or want to understand how copyright royalties work in India and how they have evolved? India is one of the most diverse and fastest-digitalizing music ecosystems globally, where affordable data, mass smartphone adoption, and an extraordinary linguistic and cultural spectrum make the market both highly promising and deeply fragmented. For Finnish creators and music companies, the key insight is both simple and strategic: without clear focus, the opportunity can easily dissipate.

This article is based on a webinar organized by Music Finland on February 23, 2026, which offered music industry professionals—including songwriters, publishers, managers, and other interested parties—an in-depth overview of the Indian music market and its growing opportunities. The speakers were Siddharth Naithani, Senior Advisor – ICT, South Asia at Business Finland; Rumpa Banerjee, Head of Marketing, Communications, and Member Relations at IPRS; Rafael Pereira, Managing Partner at Tinnuts and Executive Trustee at India Music Exchange; and Sushil Ghhugani, Director at Stubborn Company and Director of India International Music Week. The webinar was held in collaboration with Teosto, Business Finland, Song Asia & Europe-Asia Roundtable Sessions (EARS), and HUMAK University of Applied Sciences.

During the session, a concrete pathway into the Indian market was introduced through the EARS x India songwriting camp, which will take place in Turku in April 2026. The open call for Finnish creators launches on February 23, 2026—the same day the webinar was held. The timing underscores the moment: India’s music market is in transition, offering growing space for international collaboration and creative engagement.

Languages Define the Market Logic

A central message of the webinar was that in India, languages function as genres. This is not a metaphor but a structural principle. Language determines audiences, distribution channels, aesthetics, and often commercial potential. Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, or Marathi are not merely linguistic categories; they represent distinct ecosystems with their own star systems, production cultures, and media infrastructures.

The scale of the market is striking. India has more than a thousand radio stations and over 15,000 concerts annually. Approximately 20,000 original releases are produced each year, and there are 1,450 television programs related to music. More than 750 million phones are equipped with radio or music capabilities, and listeners consume music on average for over 20 hours per week. Historically, music has evolved from a gramophone-era commodity to a marketing engine for films during the cassette and CD era, and now into a standalone, multi-channel business integrated with streaming platforms, video ecosystems, and brand partnerships.

For Finnish exporters, this means that targeting “all of India” from the outset is a strategic mistake. Instead, one must select a specific language and regional market and build partnerships, distribution strategies, and marketing efforts accordingly. Strategic limitation is not risk aversion; it is credibility.

Networks Determine Success

From the perspective of Business Finland, success in India for creative industry depends on building the right networks. The organization’s role is to connect sellers and buyers and to remove bottlenecks that arise when companies attempt to enter the market alone. In music, this means understanding regional ecosystems, as each language market operates according to its own logic.

India’s creator economy has professionalized rapidly. Brand integrations and synchronization deals with television, film, and streaming platforms are part of everyday business. Digital distribution alone is not sufficient; local partners who understand the market’s dynamics are essential. Finland enjoys a particular reputation in India as a country associated with metal music. This recognition can serve as an entry point, but it requires careful audience targeting rather than broad assumptions.

The Power of Film Music and the Rise of Non-Film Pop

Film music continues to dominate in India, but non-film and pop has grown significantly in recent years. YouTube charts demonstrate that music is not only heard but also watched. Every film releases multiple music videos that function both as narrative extensions and as marketing tools.

The webinar highlighted example of traditional film music, a track from the film Dhurandhar, illustrating the emotional and visual impact of film music. Another example showcased a breakout hit that was not originally composed for a film but gained momentum within a cinematic context. This is also film music, but more accurately, it represents the norm in Indian Film music. Films express emotions, and love songs are at the top of this list. In Indian film music, the “sad love” genre serves here as an example. The growth of pop is reflected in productions such as this example.  

For creators, this environment underscores the importance of strong melody and emotional direction. Visual storytelling must be considered from the earliest demo stages, and linguistic and cultural localization must be embedded directly into the songwriting process.

Film vs. Non-Film: Implications for the Writing Process

In India, the distinction between film and non-film music is not merely a distribution category but a production logic. In film music, it is common for multiple writers to collaborate, while the film’s music director guides the direction in alignment with the film’s dramaturgy. The process is typically fast-paced, feedback-driven, and closely tied to visual context.

In the non-film sector, co-writing has expanded rapidly over the past decade as the pop market has become increasingly professionalized. Here, long-term artist branding, sustained collaboration, and strategic positioning are central. Finnish creators must identify which production logic aligns more naturally with their skills and ambitions.    

Rights, Royalties, and IPRS

From a copyright perspective, a key organization in India is The Indian Performing Right Society Limited (IPRS), a government-authorized copyright society operating under Indian copyright law. IPRS represents composers, lyricists, and publishers, grants licenses for the use of musical and literary works, collects performance and mechanical royalties, and distributes them directly to its members. It is also a member of CISAC and manages approximately 2.2 million domestic works in its repertoire.

What Does This Mean for Finnish artists and companies

India is not a single market but a constellation of markets under one national framework. It rewards those who define their audience precisely, localize their content authentically, and build partnerships systematically. Entering the market requires selecting a language and segment, crafting a focused pitch package, developing a video strategy, and ensuring that intellectual property structures are clearly defined before release.

The window to India is open. The question is no longer whether the market is compelling, but who is prepared to approach it with focus, cultural sensitivity, and long-term commitment.

The EARS x India songwriting camp in Turku in April 2026 provides a hands-on platform for building connections and initiating co-writing collaborations with Indian music professionals. Applications for Finnish participants open on February 23, 2026. Successful partnerships in this market are rarely formed at a distance; they grow through sustained interaction, shared creative processes, and trust cultivated in person.

The EARS x India writing call is now open. Finnish writers are encouraged to apply and be part of this cross-cultural exchange. You can find all the details and submit your application here.

As part of the camp, the FusionLabs project, in collaboration with EARS, Song Asia, Business Turku / West Finland Film Commission, Music Finland, Teosto, and LUME – Luovat Web3, will host the final event under the theme “Cross-IP and International Collaboration” on April 23 from 14:00 to 16:00. The event will be streamed online and recorded, and the full programme will be published in March on Creve’s website. www.creve.fi

The FusionLabs project develops collaboration in the content industries and international business expertise from 2025 to 2028. Free online meetings and coaching sessions are currently underway. Read more and join in.

This article has been produced as part of the FusionLabs – Competitiveness through Cross-Industry Innovation Skills in Working Life – project. The FusionLabs project aims to strengthen collaboration in the content industries and enhance international business capabilities between 2025 and 2028.