With India’s digital population booming, India trending news today often breaks first on social platforms. About 806 million Indians are online (55.3% of the population) and 491 million have active social media accounts. This massive user base – with a median age of 28.8 years – spends an average of 6 hours 49 minutes online every day. Smartphones dominate this time (roughly 3h57 daily), making social apps the primary source for entertainment, news, and gossip. Whether it’s breaking news, celebrity gossip, or a funny meme, any topic can ignite viral news India within hours. In this article, we explore India’s social media trends – from the latest India trending news today to celebrity news India – and show what’s capturing netizens’ attention right now. By the end, you’ll know where to find today’s top viral stories and why they matter.
Social Media Usage and Platforms in India
India’s netizens spend a huge chunk of their day on social apps. According to Digital 2025 data, 52.2% of Indian internet users go online to find information, 50.5% use it to stay in touch with friends/family, and 50.4% go there to watch videos. Entertainment and social connection drive usage. Key stats: over 52% surf for news and info, half video-stream, and nearly 47% look for new ideas online. This shows why social feeds are packed with trending news and memes – users expect both info and amusement.
Major social networks in India reflect these habits. WhatsApp leads with about 80.8% of internet users on the app. Instagram follows at 77.9%, and Facebook at 67.8%. Other popular platforms include Telegram (58.1%) and Snapchat (46.9%). This mix of messaging and media apps keeps news and viral content circulating rapidly. In fact, YouTube (not in the table below) reaches 491 million Indians (60.9% of internet users), making it the top platform for videos, music and short-form content in the country.
Platform | % of Internet Users (2025) | Avg. Monthly Usage (per user) |
80.8 % | 14h 48m | |
77.9 % | 20h 27m | |
67.8 % | 20h 42m | |
Telegram | 58.1 % | – |
Snapchat | 46.9 % | – |
These high engagement rates mean trends spread fast. For example, memes and hashtags can reach millions in hours. Social features like Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts and Twitter’s Trends tab serve up the latest viral content instantly.
- Data Speaks: Indians spend ~6h49m online daily. Over half of that is on social apps. This heavy usage explains why even small events can become big news online.
- User Motives: 52.2% of users go online for information, 50.5% to stay connected, and 50.4% to watch videos. These motives fuel the shareable mix of news updates, memes and videos you see trending.
In short, India’s social media is mobile-first and video-driven, creating the perfect climate for viral trends.
Viral News and Internet Buzz in India

What goes viral in India? Anything from a hilarious meme to a heartfelt video. Social media turns stories into trends daily. Netizens are currently buzzing about festival highlights, quirky challenges, and unusual news clips. For example, during Ganesh Chaturthi, a video of Indians performing Ganpati Visarjan (immersion) in a London canal sparked widespread debate online. Similarly, a clip of a Pune college student dancing energetically at a campus fest attracted millions of views. On the meme front, Indians never miss a beat: a campaign by retail chain Vishal Mega Mart to hire thousands of security guards inspired a craze of satirical memes.
Memes like the one above are a perfect example of India’s internet humor. In May 2025, the “Vishal Mega Mart Security Guard Job” trend went viral – Instagram and X were flooded with jokes about a security-guard position as a “dream job”. Users even created mock exam papers and training videos for a Vishal Mega Mart guard, poking fun at India’s competitive job market. This shows how quickly a simple news item can become social media buzz.
Recent trending topics include:
- Meme sensations: Humorous posts like “Vishal Mega Mart chowkidar” jokes went viral after the retail chain’s hiring news.
- Viral videos: Clips of everyday events (a dancing student, a family helping a paralyzed man, etc.) shared widely across WhatsApp and Facebook.
- Festival highlights: Unique festival moments abroad (London’s Ganesh visarjan or a foreigner enjoying Onam sadhya) light up timelines.
- Online challenges: Dance and lip-sync challenges on Reels or Shorts that draw millions of impressions (e.g., trending Bollywood song covers).
- Social issues: Occasionally, news of weather events, protests or social campaigns also trend, propelled by hashtags.
The India Today Trending News and NDTV Offbeat sections collect many of these. They demonstrate that netizens latch onto stories with emotional or entertainment value. For example, India Today noted how an emotional personal story (a man clearing his father’s debt) and a mischievous techie caught working on a train both became trending news pieces. All these examples underline one point: any story that resonates – with humor, drama or heart – can become India trending news today.
Celebrity News and Updates
Celebrities are at the heart of India’s social media whirlwind. Celebrity news India gets posted and reposted constantly, blurring lines between gossip and headlines. The country’s film stars, TV personalities and influencers often spark viral buzz with their statements or lifestyles. For instance, Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty recently became an internet craze when she jokingly told her friend Farah Khan on camera that she was “having an affair with a Sardaar (Punjabi man)”, implying her husband Raj Kundra had “left the building”. This quip went viral on YouTube and social feeds, illustrating how a casual celeb remark can trend nationwide.
Similarly, superstar Salman Khan often dominates online discussions. In a recent Bigg Boss 19 episode he quipped “Humare jitne din chale gaye, usse aage ke din bohot kam hai” (“The number of days we’ve lived is more than the days we have left”), joking about staying active as he nears 60. Salman’s wisecrack was clipped into memes and shared widely on X and Instagram. This example shows how a celebrity’s offhand comment can become viral social media content.
Other trending celebrity news includes the launch of movies and shows. For example, NDTV highlighted the teaser for “Chase” (featuring R. Madhavan and cricketer M.S. Dhoni) as a viral hit that fans “didn’t know they needed”. Similarly, box-office updates get huge attention: Tiger Shroff’s “Baaghi 4” earnings were widely reported as soon as they were released. Fans also eagerly share content like trailer reactions, dance rehearsals or red-carpet looks. In short, anything a star does – from charitable acts to fashion choices – can become a trending topic.
Some quick takeaways on celebrity buzz:
- Big names, Big impact: Actors like Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar or Shah Rukh Khan often get millions of views within minutes of posting a video or giving an interview.
- Movie releases: New song launches, trailer drops, and box office milestones trend instantly on Twitter and Instagram.
- TV & Sports: Reality TV moments (Bigg Boss, Idol shows) and sports victories (cricket wins, Olympics medals) become celebrity stories when players share them.
- Influencers: YouTube and Instagram stars (Bhuvan Bam, Prajakta Koli, etc.) regularly create trending content, though specific data on these is anecdotal.
By following entertainment news sites and celebrity social feeds, fans get their daily dose of trending updates. This is how celebrity news India stays front-and-center on social media.
Staying Ahead of India’s Social Media Trends
With so much content, how can you keep up? Fortunately, there are patterns and tools. Indians often follow daily trends via:
- Hashtags: Check Twitter’s (X’s) Trends for you or popular tags like #TeachersDay (#शिक्षक_दिवस on Sep 5) or #BiggBoss for entertainment. For example, on September 2, 2025 Twitter showed tags like #SemiconIndia2025 and #तेजा_दशमी trending in India.
- Trending sections: News sites like India Today and NDTV have “Trending” tabs listing viral stories (as seen in their content). NDTV’s Trending section often features viral clips and memes.
- Social Feeds: Instagram’s Explore page and YouTube’s trending page automatically curate popular videos and Reels from India. These often mirror what’s buzzing on WhatsApp and Twitter.
- Messaging Circles: On WhatsApp and Telegram, viral forwards keep friends chatting about the same stories. Monitoring group chats or viral forward sites (like certain meme blogs) can also indicate trends.
Overall, trending social media India is driven by fast sharing and local flavor. Internet users in India tune in to conversations about pop culture, politics, cricket matches, and beyond. The advantage for readers is clear: by knowing how social media trends emerge, you can quickly find today’s top stories and even spot the next big meme before everyone else. This article has provided a roadmap to those trends – from viral memes to celeb buzz.
Conclusion
India’s internet is a dynamic, constantly shifting environment. Every day brings new India trending news today – sometimes heartfelt, often hilarious – and every scroll reveals fresh viral memes, celebrity updates and social chatter. With nearly half a billion social media users, India’s netizens quickly share anything that captures their imagination. By understanding the key platforms, usage patterns, and popular content types, you can stay on top of what’s trending on Indian social media. We’ve covered how short videos, memes like the Vishal Mega Mart joke, viral festival videos, and celebrity quips make headlines today. Readers who follow these trends will find themselves more connected to India’s digital buzz and better informed about the stories shaping “what’s happening online” in India.
FAQs
Q: What is trending on Indian social media today?
A: Trending topics in India can vary by day, but often include celebrity news, viral videos, and popular memes. For example, recently a festival video (Ganpati visarjan in London) and Bollywood clips have been trending. To find today’s trends, check Twitter (X) trending tags for India, Instagram’s Explore page, or news sites’ trending sections.
Q: Where can I find the latest viral news India?
A: Keep an eye on major social platforms and news outlets. Twitter (X) and Instagram will show trending hashtags for India. News websites like India Today or NDTV often have a “Trending News” section that aggregates viral stories and India trending news today items. You can also follow popular news accounts or meme pages on social media for instant updates.
Q: Which celebrity news is currently trending in India?
A: Celebrity trends change quickly. Recently, Shilpa Shetty’s funny interview comment and Salman Khan’s Bigg Boss remarks have been widely shared. New movie promotions (trailers, songs) and TV show highlights are often trending as well. Checking entertainment news portals or Bollywood influencer feeds will reveal the latest celebrity news India that’s hot right now.
Q: How do I track what’s trending on social media in India?
A: You can track trending topics by using built-in tools on platforms. For instance, Twitter’s “Trends” is location-specific. Instagram and YouTube have Explore/Trending tabs. There are also websites like getdaytrends.com or Trends24 that list trending Twitter hashtags in India. Additionally, many news and media sites update “viral” story lists daily, which helps you keep pace with current social media buzz.
Q: Why do some news stories go viral on Indian social media?
A: Virality often comes down to relatability and timing. Stories that evoke strong emotions (funny, touching, or shocking) tend to be shared quickly. Celebrities or memes amplify reach. For example, NDTV reported that the humorous Vishal Mega Mart job announcement “became a viral sensation” because people found it satirical and shared it widely. In essence, if a story resonates with people’s experiences or interests, it can become viral news India.