WHEN THE U.S.-BASED streaming giant Netflix arrived in India in January 2016, the Indian digital ecosystem was on the cusp of a massive disruption. What followed that year was dramatic enough: the launch of Reliance Jio, which changed the dynamics of data forever with its disruptive pricing, shaking up the entire telecom space. In that sense, it was perfect timing for Netflix, which started off in the U.S. as a DVD rental service and has morphed into the megacorp it is today. Cut to 2026, and Netflix is poised to take another giant leap globally with its bold bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, which will then give it massive power over the theatrical and motion picture studio space. That, inevitably, will also have an impact on its Indian business.

But even as that bid plays out in America, Netflix’s India decade has been dotted with major developments and wins. When the streaming service debuted in India, it was perceived as one for premium customers, with dark, edgy global content. Over the years, as it innovated both on pricing and content, Netflix India has now struck a balance between high-class premium content and pricing that attracts a broad range of consumers across various price points. When Fortune India spoke to Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings in 2021, he had talked about how the streaming giant fosters innovation on the ‘edge of chaos’. Five years later, that culture has only grown stronger. “…We’ve had to continually innovate and evolve our user experience, recommendations, plans and pricing, payments infrastructure, and distribution partnerships across the globe,” Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos tells us in an exclusive interview. This innovation-driven culture has played its part not just on the pricing front in India, but also on the content side. Today, Netflix India is not just home to several Indian blockbuster movies, but also major successful shows like Sacred Games and Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar, apart from several other shows that have struck a chord with the masses as well. No wonder Monika Shergill — Netflix India’s vice president, content — is all smiles, as she calls the service a thali, which has something for everyone, in our cover story by Ajita Shashidhar.

Shergill’s ability to innovate on content has also been powered by her boss, Bela Bajaria, who joined Netflix in 2016 and was later elevated to chief content officer. Bajaria’s presence led to big changes in the way Netflix content was curated by local teams across geographies, and the image of the service in India, too, began changing over time. “Even in India, I was like, you know what, Tamil and Telugu are great markets, they have amazing movies and TV shows. We know people love those, so let’s continue to expand,” Bajaria says, elaborating on her invest-and-expand strategy. Globally, she runs a staggering $18-billion budget, and in India, the game plan is to create content as diverse as possible. Now, with the Warner Bros. Discovery bid, rivals in India will be watching Netflix very carefully in the coming days.

Away from the world of entertainment, Budget 2026 is upon us, and Ashutosh Kumar takes a close look at the economy as finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman prepares to present her ninth consecutive Budget. We also get you Best Investments 2026, our annual pointer to the various investment avenues for the coming year. May 2026 be a profitable and peaceful year for all of us. Happy New Year!