The February episode of The Indian Music Charts Podcast unpacks why global music is flowing into India, and examines whether Indian music is travelling outward at the same pace.
In the latest episode, hosts Amit Gurbaxani and Akhila Shankar explore this question by combining on-ground industry signals with hard data. The discussion brings together anecdotal trends, from international delegations at music conferences and the arrival of global festival franchises to the growing number of international artists touring India, alongside insights from the Luminate 2025 Year-End Music Report.
Referencing data points such as India being the second-largest streaming market globally and its rapid premium-streaming growth, which has made the country the fourth fastest-growing subscription market (source: Luminate Year-End Music Report 2025), the episode looks at why India has become a priority market for global music acts. It also examines Indian listeners’ increasing openness to international artists.
This growing interest is reflected in touring patterns as well, with five Grammy winners from the most recent awards ceremony having performed in India over the past year. At the same time, the episode considers how Indian artists are travelling outward and why that momentum remains uneven beyond the diaspora and independent circuits.
The conversation also touches on how international artists are entering India through collaborations, remixes, social engagement and touring, while raising a key closing question: what hasn’t happened yet? From the absence of certain global superstars to the lack of a true global breakout hit from India, the episode reflects on how far the market has come and how much further it can go.
The episode is now available to stream on all major podcast platforms.
