I&B Ministry
Space TV issue inches towards climax?
MUMBAI: The ministry of company affairs has not come out openly in support of the information and broadcasting ministry’s contentions on Space TV.
Preferring to lob the ball back in the I&B’s court without giving speicific directions, the former has, however, maintened that a clause on affirmative rights (to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to a board decision) of the minority shareholder in the joint venture could be contentious.
In its comment sent to the I&B ministry (reference: Serial No.R pages 1275/C; File 3/20/2005/CL-IInd), company affairs ministry has maintained except Section 2, dealing with affirmative rights of the minority shareholder, other issues raised by the I&B ministry don’t cut much ice.
Space TV is a 80:20 joint venture between the Tatas and the Rupert Murdoch-controlled Star group.
With this, government sources pointed out, ministry of company affairs has submitted its comments on one of the two DTH applications, while it grapples with that of Sun TV’s, which too has come under the government scanner.
Interestingly, various issues raised by the I&B ministry relating to Space TV and Sun’s DTH applications were not brought up when pubcaster Doordarshan started its DTH service.
Technically speaking, some aspects of the DTH guidelines should have brought DD Direct Plus too under a cloud, including the fact that the service is wholly run and managed by a broadcaster, Doordarshan.
Meanwhile, ministry of company affairs does agree that the clause relating to the affirmative rights of Star Group – amounting to almost veto power regarding board decisions of Space TV – can be questioned.
According to Indian laws, a shareholder needs to have at least 26 per cent holding in a joint venture to have veto rights on board decisions. The affirmative rights clause in the Space TV shareholders’ agreement is similar to this clause wherein the minority shareholder has the right to accept or refuse board decision with only 20 per cent stake.
The application of Space TV, envisaging setting up a Rs 16 billion DTH project in India, has been wandering around in the corridors of power in search of a clearance and letter of intent for over eight months now.
It is also learnt that Space TV has given an undertaking to the I&B ministry — through voluminious clarifications sent earlier — it would inform the government if changes in the shareholders’ agreement take place.
I&B ministry could not be contacted for comments on the Space TV issue today despite repeated attempts.
I&B Ministry
Government sets up AI governance group to steer policy
AIGEG to align ministries, assess jobs impact, guide AI deployment.
MUMBAI: If artificial intelligence is the engine, the government is now building the dashboard and making sure everyone reads from the same screen. The Centre has constituted a new inter-ministerial body to coordinate India’s approach to AI, formalising a key recommendation from its governance framework and the Economic Survey. The AI Governance and Economic Group (AIGEG), set up by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, will act as the central platform to align AI-related policy across ministries, regulators and departments, an attempt to bring coherence to what has so far been a fragmented and fast-evolving landscape.
The group will be chaired by union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, with minister of state Jitin Prasada as vice chairperson. Its composition reflects both technological and economic priorities, bringing together the principal scientific adviser, the chief economic adviser, and the CEO of NITI Aayog, alongside key secretaries from telecommunications, economic affairs and science and technology. A representative from the National Security Council Secretariat is also part of the group, while the MeitY secretary will serve as member convenor.
At its core, AIGEG is designed to do two things: coordinate and anticipate. On the policy front, it will review existing regulatory mechanisms, issue guidance across sectors and ensure companies remain compliant with evolving legal frameworks. Beyond that, it will oversee national initiatives on AI governance, with a focus on enabling responsible innovation rather than merely regulating it.
The economic dimension is equally central. The group has been tasked with assessing how AI-driven automation could reshape jobs identifying which roles are most at risk, where those impacts may be geographically concentrated, and whether technology will augment or replace human labour. Based on these assessments, it will develop mitigation strategies and transition plans, signalling a more proactive stance on workforce disruption.
In parallel, AIGEG will work with industry stakeholders to chart a long-term roadmap for AI adoption, categorising use cases into “deploy”, “pilot” or “defer” buckets depending on readiness factors such as data availability, skill levels and regulatory clarity. The aim is to move from broad ambition to structured execution deciding not just what can be built, but what should be built now.
The group will function as the apex layer in India’s AI governance architecture, supported by a Technology and Policy Expert Committee that will track global developments, emerging risks and regulatory priorities. Together, the two bodies are expected to shape both the pace and direction of AI adoption in the country.
In a landscape where technology often outruns policy, the creation of AIGEG signals an attempt to close that gap ensuring that India’s AI journey is not just rapid, but also coordinated, accountable and economically grounded.
