



Breaking borders: Non-diaspora audiences from Saudi to Indonesia are getting hooked to Indian video, audio content
Indian audio and video content, usually considered a draw for domestic audiences and specific diasporic markets, is now finding a home in unusual export destinations.Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the Philippines are among the countries where Indian content is popular, according to the Content Trends Report launched recently at the Content India Summit 2026, organized by Dish TV.Experts said this demand is not diaspora-led, unlike more established markets such as the US or the UK. Instead, it appears to be driven by cultural alignment.
Indian storytelling—especially emotion-led narratives, family dynamics and mythology—tends to resonate strongly with audiences in these regions.To build on this trend, platforms are rethinking storytelling, distribution and pricing in a more nuanced and market-specific manner.“We’re seeing a noticeable rise in non-traditional markets emerging as strong consumers of Indian content—particularly Southeast Asia including Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, the Middle East beyond the UAE, parts of Africa such as Nigeria and Kenya, and regions within Eastern Europe or CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States),” said Nitin Burman, chief revenue officer, Balaji Telefilms.These emerging markets represent a high-growth frontier, Burman added. The increased availability of dubbed and subtitled content, along with improving digital infrastructure, affordable smartphones and wider OTT access, has played a significant role in accelerating this shift.Compared to the saturated Western markets, the competitive intensity is lower, engagement with culturally aligned content is significantly higher, and OTT penetration still has a long runway.Lalit Gangwar, senior vice-president and head of US at Pocket FM, an audio
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