Amazon to introduce ads on Prime Video in India from 2025

New Delhi: Amazon has announced that viewers of Prime Video in India will start seeing advertisements during their favourite shows and movies from 2025.

This development aligns with Amazon's broader initiative to introduce ads in multiple countries, including Brazil, Japan, the Netherlands, and New Zealand, expanding its already operational ad-supported viewing in markets like the US, UK, and Canada.

Despite the introduction of ads, the company plans to offer an ad-free viewing experience for an additional fee, details of which will be announced at a later date. 

This decision comes as part of Amazon's response to the fierce competition in India's streaming sector, where giants like Reliance and Disney are merging to capture a significant market share.

Amazon emphasised the value this brings to advertisers, offering them engagement with Prime Video's audience amidst high-quality content. This includes award-winning series, popular movies, and live sports, which have become significant draws for Prime subscribers.

The introduction of ads is described by Amazon as having "meaningfully fewer ads" than traditional TV and other streaming competitors, aiming to strike a balance between viewer experience and commercial interests. 

Amazon announced that it will notify Prime members via email several weeks in advance of introducing ads on Prime Video, providing information on how to opt for an ad-free subscription. However, live content such as sports will continue to feature advertisements.

This update follows Amazon's recent merger of its ad-supported streaming services, Amazon miniTV and MX Player, into a unified platform, Amazon MX Player.

Amazon initially revealed its plans to introduce ads on Prime Video in September 2023, mirroring moves by competitors like Netflix and Disney+.