MTV India began broadcasting as a local version of MTV in 1996.
The channel was created for India's diverse television audience, combining international MTV programming with Indian music videos, presenters, and locally produced shows. Its launch marked MTV's expansion from a largely Western music brand into a regional service shaped by local languages and pop culture.
MTV India is sometimes confused with Channel V India, another major Indian music channel that launched earlier. MTV India's programming later moved well beyond music videos, adding reality shows, youth-oriented entertainment, comedy, and scripted content. The channel remains part of Paramount's international MTV network, although its format has changed substantially since the 1990s.