The year 2011 truly belonged to the digital consumer. Social  networking sites became the meeting point for almost anything — from  finding friends to protesting against corruption. In 2011, India touched  the 100-million mark in terms of internet users, 85 million being  active users. The numbers may be relatively small compared to other  markets, but this is a significant base for online firms. For LinkedIn,  India is the second-largest base after the US. Google+ has garnered four  million users in a short span and Facebook has close to 40 million  Indian users. Here’s what you can expect in 2012.
 
PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING
If 2011 was a year in which online networking garnered attention  the world over, in India, we saw professional networking gain immense  traction with professionals. People have realised the value of building  their online identity of record and have, thus, started leveraging such  platforms to showcase and brand themselves. Not only professionals, but  students and entrepreneurs have also started using these networking  options as a launch pad for their career that helps them establish their  profiles, connect with like-minded professionals and generate leads and  business development. To give you an example, one of our members,  Purvish Diwanji, director, Satyajit Chemicals, created a free company  page on LinkedIn. He connected with prospective international partners  and got a $15000 assignment from a buyer in South Africa.
THE FORECAST FOR 2012
Professional networking in India will continue to grow. The primary  reason for this is the large number of individuals entering the  workforce. Having started our India operations in 2009, we have grown  from a mere 3.4 million to a 13 million member base, the largest market  after the US. The growth opportunity in India is, thus, tremendous.  Professional networks need to continue to remain contextual and relevant  to its audiences. As long as we continue to connect talent with  opportunity, our members, recruiters and brands will derive value from  the platform.  
DOMINANT PLATFORM: MOBILE OR ONLINE?
Mobile and online content is always evolving. Our mission is to make  professionals productive and successful and to do this we will be  present on relevant platforms. We work where the professional works —  applications for the BlackBerry, Android and iOS give them the ability  to engage on groups, read the top news in their industry, look up a  person before a meeting or simply connect with a new contact without the  need to be stationed on a computer. A mobile product cannot host just a  profile, but needs added features to provide maximum value to a user.  That is why you see that we have various features that drive value and  engagement on the go. With mobile penetration increasing in India,  supported by affordable data access, this platform, in my opinion will  lead to increased engagement among professionals.
 
Hari V Krishnan, Country Manager, LinkedIn India 
Source------>http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/networking-ties/460387/