News Broadcasting
ND SatCom forms JV with Grintex Communications Ltd
MUMBAI: ND SatCom, a global supplier of satellite-based broadband VSAT, broadcast and defence communication network solutions has announced the formation of a 50-50 joint venture with Grintex India Ltd.
ND SatCom-Grintex Communications Limited will offer the complete ND SatCom product portfolio and is based out of the multinational corporate hub at Gurgaon, just outside New Delhi, a location which will enable ND SatCom to optimally serve its local clients.
The joint venture will boost activities on the Indian subcontinent to meet the growing demand for satellite communication as the region further realizes its economic potential. The main target markets are the government and broadcast sectors of India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka.
ND Sat Com chairman & CEO Dr Karl Classen will also function as the chairman of ND SatCom-Grintex Communications Ltd. Hariharan Gautam heads the new Indian company as CEO and is supported by a highly qualified and experienced local sales and engineering team.
“From a strategic point of view, the joint venture creates a future-oriented starting point to position ND SatCom-Grintex Communications Ltd. prominently in India and the South Asian region. It is a good platform to reach out to other markets in the region,” comments Gautam.
Dr Karl Classen emphasizes, “The official opening of ND SatCom’s India joint venture represents our long term commitment to become a major provider of satellite communication solutions in this important emerging market.”
Over the last three years, ND SatCom has successfully implemented its policy of establishing itself as a global company with strategic local representations.
Headquartered in Germany, ND SatCom has subsidiaries in Abu Dhabi (UAE), Beijing (China), Dallas (USA) and Moscow (Russia). Furthermore, the company operates through its regional sales and service offices around the world, including Mexico City, Miami and Singapore.
News Broadcasting
Network18 Q4 revenue grows 9.7 per cent, EBITDA at Rs 30 crore
PAT improves to Rs 306.6 crore, margins steady amid cost pressures.
MUMBAI: Not all news is breaking, some of it is quietly improving. Network18 Media & Investments Limited appears to be doing just that, tightening losses and stabilising margins even as costs continue to weigh on the business. For FY26, the company reported revenue from operations of Rs 1,955.1 crore, up from Rs 1,896.2 crore in FY25, signalling modest top-line growth in a challenging media environment. Total income stood at Rs 1,978.2 crore, compared to Rs 1,913 crore a year earlier.
Profit after tax came in at Rs 306.6 crore for the year, a sharp turnaround from Rs 3,225.4 crore in FY25, largely reflecting the absence of large exceptional items that had inflated the previous year’s numbers. On a more comparable basis, the company’s operating performance showed signs of gradual stabilisation.
However, the quarterly picture remained under pressure. For the March quarter, Network18 reported a loss of Rs 53.1 crore, narrower than the Rs 98.1 crore loss in the same period last year, but still indicative of ongoing cost challenges.
Expenses continued to track high. Total expenses for FY26 stood at Rs 2,235.7 crore, up from Rs 2,197.8 crore in FY25. Key cost heads included operational expenses of Rs 765.9 crore, employee benefits of Rs 475.9 crore, and marketing, distribution and promotional spends of Rs 427.1 crore, underlining the continued investment required to sustain reach and engagement.
At an operating level, margins remained under strain. Operating margin stood at 2.33 per cent for FY26, marginally higher than 1.77 per cent in FY25, while net profit margin remained negative at -13.02 per cent, though improved from -14.89 per cent.
On the balance sheet, total assets rose to Rs 8,957.6 crore as of 31 March 2026, from Rs 8,317.5 crore a year earlier. Equity strengthened to Rs 4,958.7 crore, while borrowings increased to Rs 3,112.8 crore, reflecting a higher reliance on debt to support operations.
Cash flows told a mixed story. While financing activities generated Rs 83.9 crore, operating cash flow remained negative at Rs -24 crore, highlighting ongoing pressure on core cash generation. Cash and cash equivalents, however, improved to Rs 33.9 crore from Rs 1.8 crore.
The numbers point to a company in transition growing revenues, trimming losses, but still grappling with structural cost pressures. In a sector where scale often comes at a price, Network18 seems to be inching towards balance, one quarter at a time.
