Benchmark
India's Book-Buying Habits Say A Lot About The Country's Economy
- More than 9,000 publishers serve nearly 1.3 billion people
- Nielsen estimates the sector is now worth $6.76 billion
Pedestrians and shoppers walk through Zaveri Bazaar.
Photographer: Dhiraj Singh/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Controversial politicians. Celebrity cricket players. Spiritual gurus. India’s publishing industry, like the country’s broader economic story, has a lot to work with.
So it’s perhaps no surprise India’s GDP growth of 7.1 percent -- the fastest among major economies -- is fueling a boom in book sales. Indian publishing successes, in return, can help provide insights into the country’s growth and consumer confidence. It is a land where the travails of a saucy, soon-to-be-married Goldman Sachs Group Inc banker -- in Chetan Bhagat’s fictional One Indian Girl -- is a runaway best-seller.