Unlocking South Asia: looking to the future

While India is a booming market for mVAS, its neighbours in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are definitely ones to watch for the next round of growth, says Paul Skeldon

India gets all the attention, but the mVAS markets of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are already showing promising signs of growth and this region is set to be an interesting area for mVAS investment in the years ahead.

Sandwiched between the mega markets of India and South East Asia – the latter the largest single mVAS market in the world, accounting for more than 34.8% of the market share in 2024, South Asia may look like a minnow that is easy to overlook. But delving into the numbers reveals an intriguing market.

Growing mobile penetration and the roll out of 4G and 5G networks has already started to drive users to the digital economy and, with more localised content arriving, the market is already catching fire.

PAKISTAN

The Pakistani market has some 194 million mobile users, with smartphone penetration growing steadily amongst them. Mobile financial services are also increasingly popular as the largely unbanked population look to use their cash in the digital world. This, along with government initiatives such as Digital Pakistan, has seen uptake of mVAS explode.

Local apps like Tamasha, Bajao and Harpal Geo stand out due to their focus on Pakistani-specific content, including cricket matches, local dramas, and music. These apps cater to cultural preferences and offer affordable subscription models, which resonate well with the local audience.

BANGLADESH

Bangladesh has some 182 million mobile users and is at a similar stage in its digital journey to Pakistan. Here, however, there is more of a mix of international content and home grown – perhaps an indication of how the market in Bangladesh is at a more nascent stage.

With 46.5 million users aged 18 and above in early 2025, TikTok dominates the entertainment space, reaching nearly 60% of the local internet user base. Facebook Lite and Messenger are widely used for communication and entertainment.

Local apps like Chorki and Toffee are highly popular due to their focus on Bangladeshi culture, language, and preferences. These apps provide localized content such as Bangla movies, dramas, and Bangla-dubbed foreign shows. Their affordability and accessibility across devices further enhance their appeal.

SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka, by contrast, is a much smaller market, but one that is much further along its mobile journey and so has a much more engaged audience. High literacy rates see e-learning and educational apps being among the most popular, while international entertainment apps such as Netflix and Spotify have a strong market.

But there are local services emerging. Dialog ViU is Sri Lanka’s largest entertainment ecosystem, offering over 108 local and international live TV channels, 1,000+ local movies and dramas, sports events, and international partner content such as iFlix, Zee5, Hungama Play, and ALT Balaji. It also provides exclusive Sinhala and Tamil content like school cricket matches and national rugby tournaments. Other services such as Airtel Movie Box and SLT OTT Entertainment are also popular.

The key in all these emergent South Asian markets is that local content is a winner and there is still a large untapped market to be had.

To learn more about the South Asian markets, go to: www.dubai.wtevent.com