A report compiled by the Indian Music Industry (IMI) and International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) estimates that the average Indian internet user spends 21.5 hours per week listening to music.

Just look at the penetration of mobile phones, for example, across the globe.  I think it’s almost five billion, right?  And we have 217 million users, so there is much, much more room to grow. - Cecilia Qvist, Head Of Global Markets, Spotify

Spotify launched in India in February 2019, and managed to hit its 1 million mark within a week. After which, the streaming app had a slowed momentum in the market. It hit the 2 million user base as recently as last week, which is 5 months into its release.

During the annual Rise startup conference in Hong Kong, Cecilia Qvist admits that despite having releasing the app in 79 different countries, Spotify still has a lot of work to do.

India is viewed as a market with a lot of potential for growth because of the immense increase in smartphone usage and growing access to cheap internet. When it comes to consumption user base, Spotify and YouTube shadow over the music consumption market. The rest of the competition, Indian streaming platforms like Gaana, JioSaavn and Wynk, are still lagging behind in terms of growth. Earlier this month, Spotify launched a 'pocket-version' of their app - Spotify Lite - which was a 15 MB version of the original app across 36 different countries in Asia, Latin America, Middle East and Africa. The app was specifically designed to target audiences in areas with patchy or weak connections. The app is also designed to work on old phones and devices.  LOUDEST TAKE: During the Rise startup conference, Qvist spoke about about how Spotify is aiming to penetrate the Indian market with the Lite version of the app. With the growing consumer base in India, Spotify clearly realises that it's a market that needs tapping into. The release of the Lite version of the app is definitely a boost, along with the lucrative premium plans which start from Rs13 a day to Rs119 a month. Spotify also offers special discounts to students. All that's left to see is whether Spotify manages to make a dent in the market or gets drowned in the noise.