The Trade Desk (TTD) is the leading independent DSP globally and has been expanding in India since 2018. In India CTV specifically, TTD is the preferred DSP for advertisers who want an independent, walled-garden-free alternative to DV360 — and for global brands whose programmatic strategy is built around TTD's Unified ID 2.0 (UID2) identity framework. Its India CTV capabilities are real but currently narrower than DV360's, primarily because TTD has no direct relationship with India's dominant publishers the way Google does with YouTube.
What The Trade Desk offers for India CTV
SSP inventory access: TTD connects to Magnite, PubMatic, Index Exchange, and other SSPs that carry India CTV supply. This gives access to mid-tier publishers and AVOD apps via open auction and PMP deals. The breadth is similar to DV360 for third-party inventory — both route through the same SSPs.
UID2 identity framework: TTD's Unified ID 2.0 is a privacy-preserving identity solution built on hashed email addresses. For CTV specifically, UID2 enables cross-publisher audience matching — if a registered user on one platform has the same email as a user on another, TTD can link impressions across both platforms. UID2 adoption in India is early-stage but growing, particularly among publishers with large registration bases.
Kokai AI bidding: TTD's Kokai platform (launched 2023) applies AI-driven bid optimisation across channels. For CTV specifically, Kokai can allocate budget between CTV and connected channels (digital video, mobile) based on attention and reach signals — useful for advertisers running integrated video plans rather than CTV-only buys.
OpenPath supply: TTD's OpenPath programme creates direct supply connections with publishers, bypassing SSP fees. A small number of India publishers have OpenPath integrations; this number will grow as TTD deepens India relationships.
Where The Trade Desk falls short in India CTV
No YouTube access: YouTube CTV inventory is exclusively available through DV360. This is a significant gap — YouTube CTV is the single largest premium CTV inventory pool in India. Advertisers using TTD as their sole DSP cannot reach YouTube CTV viewers programmatically.
Limited direct publisher relationships: JioHotstar and SonyLIV manage their programmatic relationships primarily through Google's supply chain and their own SSP partnerships. TTD does not have the same depth of direct PMP deal flow from India's top publishers that DV360 enjoys through its Google ecosystem connections.
UID2 match rates in India: UID2's effectiveness depends on publisher adoption. In India, where many publishers still rely on device IDs or anonymous cookies, UID2 match rates for CTV are low — typically 15–25% of impressions, versus 40–60% in more mature markets. This limits audience targeting precision for TTD CTV campaigns in India currently.
Who should use The Trade Desk for India CTV
TTD is the right choice when:
- You are a global brand with an existing TTD relationship and want to extend that strategy to India without switching platforms
- You want an independent DSP that is not part of Google's ecosystem — brand safety policies, auction transparency, and data practices differ meaningfully from DV360
- You are running a multi-channel video plan where CTV is one component alongside digital video, mobile, and audio — TTD's cross-channel planning tools are stronger than DV360's for non-Google inventory
- You are an early mover on UID2 and want to position your India buying for when UID2 adoption matures
The practical approach: TTD alongside DV360
Most sophisticated India CTV buyers who use TTD do not use it exclusively. The practical split: DV360 for YouTube CTV and premium Google-connected supply; TTD for third-party programmatic inventory, cross-channel video planning, and UID2-enabled deals. This requires two DSP relationships but captures the strengths of both. For agencies running large India CTV budgets (Rs 2 crore+), this dual-DSP approach is worth the operational overhead.