YouTube first made the YouTube Shorts beta available in India.
YouTube announced Shorts in September 2020 as a TikTok-like short-form video experience. India was selected as the initial testing market, and the rollout came shortly after India banned TikTok, creating strong demand for alternative short-video services.
The first version supported videos of up to 15 seconds and was integrated into the main YouTube mobile app rather than launched as a separate application. YouTube later expanded Shorts to additional countries, including the United States in March 2021.
A common confusion is between the initial India test and the later global rollout. Shorts became available worldwide in July 2021, but India was the first country where the beta was introduced. The service has since expanded its tools, music features, and maximum video length.