I&B Ministry
Transponder rentals: Prior MIB approval not needed for EEFC forex payments
MUMBAI: India’s ministry of information & broadcasting (MIB) has eased rules for broadcasters and teleport owners making foreign currency payments for transponder rentals for uplinking to foreign satellites. It has issued a notice that allows them to make payments from their Exchange Earners’ Foreign Currency (EEFC) accounts to them without approaching it for approval.
The notice reiterates that “all broadcast companies and teleport operators, as per MIB’s advisory dated 25 June 2014, are advised to strictly follow the guidelines under provisions of the FEMA Act 1999 read with Master Circular No. 6/2014-15 dated 1 July 2014 along with Schedule II thereof issued by RBI. Proposals seeking prior approval would require to be sent to this Ministry only if the proposed remittance is from other than EEFC accounts.”
According to the provisions, it requires prior approval of the MIB for making remittance of foreign exchange towards availing transponder services on foreign satellite for up-linking of TV Channels/Teleport services/DSNG Operations/Temporary events. Rule 4 of Master Circular provides that, “No person shall draw foreign exchange for a transaction included in the Schedule II without prior approval of the Government of India.
However, a specific exemption is provided for EEFC account holders. Rule 6 (l) of Master Circular states that, “Nothing contained in the Rule 4 or Rule 5 shall ‘apply to drawl made out’ of funds held in Exchange Earners’ Foreign Currency (EEFC) account of the remitter,” according to the notice signed by under-secretary to the government of India Manmeet Kaur.
In the past, the ministry had been entertaining such cases where payments (usually, part payments) were being made from this account, and then issuing approval for remittances proposed to be made from other than EEFC Account.
I&B Ministry
CBFC speeds up film certification; average approval time cut to 22 days
Over 71,900 films cleared in five years as digital system shortens approval timelines
MUMBAI: The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has significantly reduced the time taken to certify films, with the average approval timeline now down to 22 working days for feature films and just three days for short films.
Operating under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the statutory body certifies films for public exhibition in line with the Cinematograph Act, 1952 and the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024. The rules prescribe a maximum certification period of 48 working days, though the adoption of the Online Certification System has sharply accelerated the process.
Over the past five years, from 2020-21 to 2024-25, the board certified a total of 71,963 films across formats. Of these, the majority fell under the U category with 41,817 titles, followed by UA with 28,268 films and A with 1,878 films. No films were certified under the S category during the period.
Film approvals have also steadily risen in recent years. The CBFC cleared 8,299 films in 2020-21, a figure that peaked at 18,070 in 2022-23 before settling at 15,444 films in 2024-25. During the same period, 11,064 films were certified with cuts or modifications.
Despite the high volume of certifications, outright refusals remain rare. Only three films were denied certification over the last five years, with one refusal recorded in 2022-23 and two in 2024-25.
The board may recommend cuts or modifications if a film violates statutory parameters relating to the sovereignty and integrity of India, security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, decency or morality, defamation, contempt of court or incitement to an offence.
Filmmakers can challenge CBFC decisions in court. Data shows that such disputes remain limited but have seen some fluctuation. Between 2021 and 2025, a total of 21 certification decisions were challenged before High Courts, with the number rising to 10 cases in 2025.
Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha, minister of state for information and broadcasting L. Murugan shared the data. The question was raised by Mallikarjun Kharge.
With faster timelines and a largely digital workflow, the certification process appears to be moving at a far brisker pace, signalling a shift towards quicker clearances for India’s growing film output.
