New Delhi: India along with other BRIC countries is likely to become home to over 1.7 billion mobile users by 2012 driven by emergent middle class, with 680 million users expected to be addicted to net surfing through their handsets, a latest report says.

Out of the 1.7 billion expected subscribers in BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) nations, India is likely to have 560 million mobile users, while China is expected to top the chart with 800 million, a report by eMarketers said.

India would be followed by Russia with 189 million users and Brazil at 176 million.

At present, India has over 270 million mobile users and is adding over eight million subscribers every month.

Out of the 560 million mobile users, about 53% or about 298 million subscribers would use mobile internet, while China would have 40% or 320 million mobile internet users.

“Mobile is the internet for an increasingly large and attractive consumer segment an important distinction for marketers to keep in mind,” said John du Pre Gauntt, Senior Analyst and author of the report ‘Mobile BRIC: Extreme Growth Ahead.´

According to the report, BRIC region represents the next great growth curve for both mobile and interactive marketing industries and forms the core of an emergent global middle class population that would cross 1 billion by 2015.

”As these huge populations within BRIC accumulate disposable income, they are poised to form interactive relationships with local and global brands primarily through mobile phone,“ Gauntt said.

‘“With PC and broadband penetration far below that of mobile, marketers and mobile operators find themselves in uncharted territory,” he added.

Five of the world’s 10 largest cities are located in BRIC, along with four of the top five markets for new mobile subscribers. Rapid growth in entertainment and media consumption in the BRIC countries is important for marketers looking to interact with mobile consumers.