I&B Ministry
FIPB refuses to consider Turmeric Vision proposal for contravention of foreign equity of 80%
NEW DELHI: Even as it refused to consider a proposal by M/s Turmeric Vision Private Limited on the ground that this does not come within its domain, the Foreign Investments Promotion Board has deferred a proposal by M/s Quintillion Business Media Private Limited seeking approval for the issuance of equity shares to BLOOMBERG L.P.
With regard to the Quintillion proposal, the Finance Ministry said “the investee company is proposed to be engaged inter alia in the uplinking and broadcasting of a business news television channel and operating the related digital content platform in India”.
Turmeric Vision Private Limited had sought Post facto approval for contravention of the foreign equity of 80% as approved vide approval letter of even no. FC II 60(10)/91(2010) of 14 June 2010.
FIPB also deferred a proposal by M/s Tikona Digital Networks Pvt Ltd for approval for the issuance of CCDs thereby increasing foreign equity to 76.73%; and a proposal by Netmagic Solutions Private Limited for increase in the shareholding of NTT Communications Corporation, Japan, in the company from 81.63% to 100%.
The Board rejected a proposal by M/s Sistema ShyamTeleServices Limited seeking approval for the exit of the resident shareholders and transfer of their holdings to the existing foreign shareholders i.e. M/s Sistema Joint Stock Financial Corporation, Russia and Federal Agency for the State Property Management (Rosimushchestvo), thereby increasing the foreign shareholding in the company from 73.95% to 100% and consequently increasing the foreign shareholding in its downstream company i.e. Shyam Internet Services Limited to 100%.
I&B Ministry
AIDCF moves TDSAT over Waves plan to stream linear TV channels
Industry body flags regulatory gap as OTT push sparks broadcast turf war
NEW DELHI: The battle between traditional television distributors and digital platforms has found its way to the courts, with the All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF) moving the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) against Prasar Bharati’s latest OTT play.
At the heart of the dispute is Waves, Prasar Bharati’s OTT platform, which has invited applications to onboard linear satellite TV channels. Aidcf, which represents multi-system operators (msos), argues that this move sidesteps existing broadcasting rules and risks tilting the playing field in favour of digital platforms.
The federation’s petition hinges on a key provision in the Uplinking and Downlinking Guidelines, 2022. Clause 11(3)(f) allows broadcasters to downlink channels only if they provide signal decoders to recognised distribution platforms such as MSOS, DTH operators, hits operators and iptv platforms. OTT platforms, aidcf points out, do not feature on that list.
In simple terms, AIDCF’s argument is this: if OTT platforms are not officially recognised distributors, they should not be receiving broadcast signals in the first place. By inviting channels onto Waves, the federation claims, Prasar Bharati is opening a backdoor that lets broadcasters bypass long-standing rules.
The concern goes beyond legal interpretation. Aidcf says OTT platforms currently operate without a clear regulatory framework, allowing them to expand into traditional broadcasting territory without the compliance burden that cable and satellite operators must carry. That, it argues, creates an uneven contest.
There is also a warning for broadcasters. If they provide signal decoders to an OTT platform like Waves, they could risk breaching the very conditions under which their downlinking permissions were granted.
For its part, Prasar Bharati’s Waves initiative is positioned as a step towards wider access and digital reach, bringing linear television into the streaming era. But critics say the move blurs the line between regulated broadcasting and largely unregulated streaming.
The matter is expected to come up before tdsat next week. The outcome could do more than settle a single dispute. It may help define how India regulates the fast-merging worlds of television and OTT, where the lines are getting fuzzier by the day and the stakes, sharper than ever.
