India CTV programmatic spend is controlled by a relatively small number of buying organisations. GroupM's Xaxis (WPP) is the single largest — managing programmatic for Mindshare, Wavemaker, MediaCom, and EssenceMediacom clients. Publicis Media Exchange (PMX) is second. Independent desks (MiQ, iProspect, Lemma) serve mid-market and D2C brands. A growing number of India D2C brands now buy CTV direct, in-house. Understanding who sits on the buy side — their structure, DSP access, minimums, and decision-making process — is essential for any publisher trying to grow programmatic revenue, and for brands trying to understand how their budgets are activated.
Who buys CTV in India: the trading desk landscape
A map of holding company desks, independent agencies, and in-house brand teams — who controls what share of India CTV programmatic spend.
How GroupM buys CTV in India
Agency structure (Mindshare, Wavemaker, MediaCom), the role of Xaxis, the 5-step planning process, and what GroupM requires from publishers.
Independent trading desks in India: what to know for CTV
MiQ, iProspect, Lemma, and in-house D2C teams — what they buy, what they need from publishers, and the opportunity for smaller publishers.
Agency programmatic vs direct advertiser buying in India CTV
How agency-traded and in-house brand campaigns differ in process, data access, and what publishers need to know about each route.
Negotiating CTV deals with India publishers: a buyer's guide
Direct IO minimums, PMP floor negotiation, data access terms, deal mechanics, and where buyers have — and don't have — leverage.
India CTV ad spending benchmarks: CPMs, budgets, and minimum buys
CPM ranges by publisher and deal type (₹200–1,400), minimum buy thresholds for JioHotstar/SonyLIV/Zee5 direct IO, IPL pricing dynamics, and budget allocation guidance by spend tier.
Agency trading desks for CTV in India: how GroupM, Publicis, and IPG buy programmatic CTV
ATD structure, principal vs agency model, group-level PMP access, what to ask your ATD about transparency and cross-publisher frequency management.
GroupM CTV buying in India: how the world's largest media group approaches India CTV
GroupM's India structure (Mindshare, Wavemaker, EssenceMediacom, Xaxis), DV360-first infrastructure, holding company volume deals, and how GroupM's scale shapes India CTV market pricing.
Independent agency CTV buying in India: how smaller agencies access India CTV inventory
DSP access routes (GMP resellers, TTD managed service), publisher self-serve options, realistic CPM expectations without holding company scale, and where independent agencies genuinely compete.
India CTV trading desks: agency groups, independents, and DSP preferences
GroupM Nexus, Publicis PMX, and independent traders: which DSPs they use, how they access India CTV inventory, and all-in CTV fee structures.
Programmatic Direct vs Open Auction for CTV in India
Programmatic direct, PMP, and open auction — the three programmatic buying routes for India CTV. When to use each and how to set them up with Indian publishers.