News Broadcasting
Bond and deliver as CNBC-TV18 unveils India’s new fixed-income playbook
MUMBAI: If India’s bond market has long played the quiet background score of the financial world, CNBC-TV18 is finally turning up the volume. In a bid to make fixed income feel a little less… fixed, CNBC-TV18, CNBC Awaaz, CNBC Bajar and IndiaBonds have launched ‘Bond Street’, a high-frequency, clarity-first initiative designed to give India’s rapidly expanding bond ecosystem the spotlight it has long deserved.
With the country’s bond market now standing tall at $ 2.81 trillion (SEBI, CCIL; as of 30 September 2025), its scale rivals many major equity markets yet it remains one of the least understood segments of India’s financial landscape. ‘Bond Street’ aims to rewrite that script.
At its core, the initiative promises daily coverage across all three CNBC platforms, decoding everything from credit rating moves and issuer activity to market flows, regulatory shifts and technology-led innovation. Viewers will also get weekly analytical deep dives, bringing context, trendlines and expert perspectives to a market that is increasingly shaping India’s investment behaviour.
Framing the ambition, News18 Studio CEO S. Shivakumar said the initiative reflects a commitment to comprehensive and credible financial storytelling. “The bond market is becoming integral to India’s capital formation and investment behaviour. Bond Street will ensure audiences have timely, structured information on a segment that is now transforming how Indians save and invest.”
IndiaBonds co-founder Vishal Goenka emphasised the timing, “The bond market is evolving at a significant pace, shaped by enhanced transparency, technological advancements and rising retail participation. This collaboration will help investors recognise bonds as a fundamental part of long-term portfolio thinking.”
What makes ‘Bond Street’ stand out is not just the volume of coverage but its intent, to bring consistency, accessibility and everyday context to a market often dismissed as complex or opaque. By demystifying fixed income, the initiative seeks to bring bonds into mainstream financial conversations not as a footnote, but as a core pillar of India’s investment culture.
The partnership pairs CNBC-TV18’s legacy of trusted financial journalism with IndiaBonds’ deep domain expertise, creating a knowledge ecosystem that caters to retail investors, seasoned traders and corporate professionals alike.
As India pushes deeper into a multi-asset investment future, ‘Bond Street’ may well become the address where India’s fixed-income fluency is built, one segment, one insight, and one educated investor at a time.
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.
