Snapchat’s India ad base jumps 10X as brands chase Gen Z

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Snapchat has grown its advertiser base in India 10X over the past two years, a sharp signal that brands are putting more money behind Gen Z-first digital advertising. The platform said advertisers spending across all four quarters have also tripled, driven by augmented reality ads, chat-based placements and AI-powered targeting.

The timing matters because India is now one of Snapchat’s biggest growth markets. Snap says it has more than 250 million users in the country, giving advertisers a large youth-heavy audience at a time when brands are under pressure to move beyond passive social feed campaigns.

Pulkit Trivedi, managing director, India, Snap Inc., said the company has built “an ecosystem of advertising solutions rooted in how Gen Z communicates and engages today.” He added that Snapchat’s mix of AR, video and high-attention chat ads is helping brands pursue “meaningful outcomes.”

The pitch is simple: attention is moving from scrolling to interaction. Snap says growth has come from categories including fashion, beauty, entertainment, food delivery, quick commerce, sports and retail. A separate study on AR in India found that 92% of Indian consumers believe augmented reality will transform how they shop, learn or connect online.

Swiggy Food Marketplace CEO Rohit Kapoor said Snapchat helps the brand reach consumers “when they are in an active, communicative mindset,” especially through chat surfaces and immersive AR. Zomato marketing head Sahibjeet Singh Sawhney said Snapchat’s video, AR and Sponsored Snaps create “a brand experience that feels truly interactive and engaging.”

The implication for marketers is clear. Snapchat is no longer only a youth-reach platform; it is asking for a larger role in India’s performance and brand-building budgets. The test now is whether its Gen Z strength can convert attention into measurable, repeatable business outcomes.