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“If ban is lifted, secondary rights become available, BBC would like to air ‘India’s Daughter’ in India”: Jim Egan
MUMBAI: The just concluded Cricket World Cup 2015, the infighting amongst Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) members and Deepika Padukone’s recently launched #Mychoice video has kept the Indian media busy for the past few days. And this, in a country, which has to deal with a number of bans, both of content and beef. But, what had once taken substantial screen space, is now dead.
However, when BBC Global News chief executive officer Jim Egan visited India, the very first question, which popped in people’s mind was that of his take on the ban of the documentary India’s Daughter, a co-production between BBC and documentary filmmaker Leslee Udwin.
“India’s Daughter fits the category of the documentary strand we have on BBC Global News calledStoryville Global. So, as and when the secondary rights become available and if the ban is lifted in India, then we would like to broadcast it here, but that would not be for many months,” Egan tells Indiantelevision.com.
Internet has made banning of content difficult now. “Many people have already watched India’s Daughter on YouTube and so the one thing I believe in is that it’s harder to ban things now,” he said.
BBC, according to Egan, is happy to produce a documentary like India’s Daughter, which touches upon a very sensitive topic. “It was a programme, which was made in a very careful and sensitive way. But of course it touches on some of the most delicate issues, not just in India, but around the world, and that’s why I think it’s a programme, which audiences should be able to watch,” added Egan.
Egan hopes that in time people will have the opportunity to watch it. “Women’s rights and role in a society is one of the major issues across the world and I think, the programme has done a wonderful job in bringing that aspect out,” he opined.
The channel, which reaches to approximately 400 million homes, recording a viewership of 76 million per week globally, is looking at a better traction from the country, which currently stands at around 10 per cent.
BBC has been operating in India for more than 20 years. Talking about his relation with the regulator here, Egan said, “We have a very good relation with the regulatory authorities here, both at the level of the regulator and also at the Ministerial level. Being a global broadcaster, while it is quite a difficult process, being global broadcasters, since we have to comply with different regulatory regimes right across the world, but India is not the country, which is problematic to do business.”
The curb on freedom of speech is becoming a major concern across the globe. “Although the world is becoming more connected and globalised, it is also becoming a bit of less tolerant.”
On the future plans for India, Egan said that while they aren’t increasing the number of bureaus but they are investing in people on the digital multimedia side. “Delhi is BBC’s single biggest bureau, outside the UK, that signifies the importance we show to the country and the Indian news agenda. Our endeavour is to bring international news and events to Indian audiences while telling the story of India from political and social point of view to international audiences who are interested in knowing what’s going on here. India is an important market and so we are investing to continue to grow,” concluded Egan.
News Broadcasting
Induction cooktop demand spikes 30× amid LPG supply concerns
Supply worries linked to West Asia tensions push households and restaurants to turn to electric cooking alternatives
MUMBAI: As geopolitical tensions in West Asia ripple through global energy supply chains, the familiar blue flame in Indian kitchens is facing an unexpected challenger: electricity.
What began as concerns over the availability of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has quickly evolved into a technology-driven shift in cooking habits. Households across India are increasingly turning to induction cooktops and other electric appliances, initially as a backup but now, for many, a necessity.
A sudden surge in demand
Recent data from quick-commerce and grocery platform BigBasket highlights the scale of the shift. According to Seshu Kumar Tirumala, the company’s chief buying and merchandising officer, demand for induction cooktops has risen dramatically.
“Induction cooktops have seen a significant surge in demand, recording a fivefold jump on 10 March and a thirtyfold spike on 11 March,” Tirumala said.
The increase stands out sharply when compared with broader kitchen appliance trends. Most appliance categories are growing within 10 per cent of their typical demand levels, while induction cooktops have witnessed explosive growth as households rush to secure an alternative cooking option.
Major e-commerce platforms including Amazon and Flipkart have reported rising searches and orders for induction stoves. Quick-commerce apps such as Blinkit and Zepto have also witnessed stock shortages in major metropolitan areas including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
What was once considered a convenient appliance for hostels, small kitchens or occasional use has suddenly become an essential addition in many homes.
A crisis thousands of miles away
The trigger for this shift lies far beyond India’s kitchens.
Escalating conflict in the Middle East has disrupted shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Nearly 85 to 90 per cent of India’s LPG imports pass through this narrow waterway, making the country particularly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
The ripple effects have been swift.
India currently meets roughly 60 per cent of its LPG demand through imports, and tightening global supply has already begun to affect domestic availability and prices.
Earlier this month, the price of domestic LPG cylinders increased by Rs 60, while commercial cylinders rose by more than Rs 114.
To discourage panic buying and hoarding, the government has also extended the mandatory waiting period between domestic refill bookings from 21 days to 25 days.
Restaurants feel the pressure
The strain is not limited to households. Restaurants, hotels and roadside eateries are also grappling with supply constraints as commercial LPG availability tightens under restrictions imposed through the Essential Commodities Act.
In cities such as Bengaluru and Chennai, restaurant associations report that commercial LPG availability has dropped by as much as 75 per cent, forcing many establishments to rethink their kitchen operations.
Some restaurants have reduced menu offerings, while others are rapidly installing high-efficiency induction systems, creating hybrid kitchens where electricity now shares the workload with gas.
For smaller eateries and roadside dhabas, the shift is less about sustainability and more about survival.
A potential structural shift
The government has maintained that there is no nationwide LPG crisis and has directed refineries to increase production to stabilise supply.
Nevertheless, the developments of March 2026 may already be triggering a longer-term behavioural shift.
For decades, LPG has been the backbone of cooking in Indian households. However, recent disruptions have highlighted the risks of relying on a single fuel source.
Increasingly, households appear to be hedging against uncertainty by adopting electric cooking options to guard against price volatility and delivery delays.
If the current trend continues, the induction cooktop, once viewed as a niche appliance, could emerge as a quiet symbol of India’s evolving kitchen economy.
