The 2026 Indian OTT Landscape: Platform Mergers, Pricing Shifts, and Regional Dominance
The Indian Over-The-Top (OTT) streaming sector has reached a critical juncture in 2026, marked by institutional consolidation, revised monetization strategies, and the surging popularity of regional content.
1. JioHotstar Pricing Restructuring
Following the 2025 merger of JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar, JioHotstar introduced a new pricing structure on January 28, 2026:
- New Monthly Plans: Starting at just ₹79 for mobile users to offer better flexibility.
- Annual Price Hikes: The Super plan rose to ₹1,099 (from ₹899), and the Premium plan jumped to ₹2,199 (from ₹1,499).
- Hollywood Access: Bundled in Super/Premium tiers; Mobile users need a ₹49/month add-on.
2. Netflix Spares India from Global Hikes
Despite raising prices in the US (Premium at $26.99) in March 2026, Netflix has maintained its Indian pricing to stay competitive:
- Mobile: ₹149/mo | Basic: ₹199/mo | Standard: ₹499/mo | Premium 4K: ₹649/mo.
3. Sports: FanCode Secures ISL Rights
In February 2026, FanCode won exclusive broadcast and digital rights for the 2025-26 Indian Super League (ISL) season, while KPS Studios handles world-feed production.
4. The Fall of OTT Aggregators
Hindustan Media Ventures Ltd (HMVL) announced that OTTplay will stop new subscriptions starting March 31, 2026, due to financial challenges. Existing users will be supported until their validity ends.
5. Regional Content Surpasses Hindi
Regional content now accounts for 52% of total viewing time in India. To lead this, Aha launched a “Pocket Pack” at just ₹67 per month for mobile-first users.