Digital
Honour roll grows as adtech awards double down on digital excellence
MUMBAI: When the industry’s brightest innovations walk into a room, they deserve a spotlight and ad:tech HONOURS 2026 is rolling out one big enough to light up the entire marketing landscape.
After a breakthrough debut, the awards return next year with a sharper focus, a bigger canvas, and a bold ambition: to become the definitive scoreboard for technology-driven excellence in Indian marketing. Organised in partnership with the International Advertising Association (IAA) India Chapter, the 2026 edition aims to reward the most transformative uses of Martech, Adtech, data, platforms, and creative innovation reshaping how brands think, build, and perform.
And this time, they’re taking centre stage literally. Recognising the rising prestige of the awards, the ceremony will now kick off day one of ad:tech New Delhi, placing the celebration right at the heart of India’s most influential marketing and technology gathering.
If the debut edition set expectations, 2026 smashes the ceiling. The awards have expanded from 10 to 22 categories, a sweeping new framework reflecting a marketing ecosystem where boundaries blur and technology accelerates everything. The broadened slate covers:
● Martech & Adtech innovation
● Content ecosystems and commerce
● Platform ingenuity
● Creator-led excellence
● AI, data, and performance marketing breakthroughs
The intent is clear: scale the recognition to match the industry’s evolving complexity, rewarding brands, agencies, platforms, publishers, creators, and tech enablers that push the discipline forward.
“Expanding the awards from 10 to 22 categories reflects how rapidly new-age platforms, tools, and solutions are redefining modern marketing,” said ad:tech India country head Jaswant Singh. “HONOURS 2026 captures this evolution acknowledging innovation that drives real business impact.”
The first edition already laid down a solid foundation, attracting strong participation across the ecosystem. Winners in 2025 including The Trade Desk, ARM Worldwide, Publicis, Social Beat, Tyroo, Trackier and others showcased measurable impact, creative use of platforms, and technology-led results. Their performance shaped the expanded framework for 2026, raising the bar for what modern marketing excellence should look like.
For IAA, the collaboration continues to be anchored in a shared mission. “Our partnership with ad:tech reflects our commitment to elevating India’s marketing ecosystem,” said IAA India Chapter president Abhishek Karnani. “As we step into the second edition of HONOURS, we are proud to strengthen this platform that champions innovation, collaboration, and long-term industry growth.”
The awards are designed to reward more than creativity; they recognise true business impact, the kind that moves metrics, markets, and mindsets. The judging philosophy focuses on technology application, innovation, strategic clarity, and measurable effectiveness across the full value chain.
The ad:tech HONOURS 2026 ceremony will bring together CMOs, founders, creators, platform leaders, and tech innovators for a night dedicated to celebrating breakthrough work.
Key details:
● Nominations: Now open
● Honours Night: 18 March 2026
● Venue: Yashobhoomi Convention Centre (IICC Dwarka), New Delhi
● Drinks reception: From 6 pm
● Access: Every shortlisted entry gets two complimentary passes; ad:tech 2026 VIP Pass holders also gain entry
With the spotlight shifting to Day One, 22 categories ready to spotlight India’s best, and a platform designed for the future of marketing, HONOURS 2026 isn’t just returning, it’s levelling up.
For more information please visit www.iaaindiachapter.org
Digital
RBI proposes Rs 25,000 compensation cap for small digital fraud losses
RBI, customer bank and beneficiary bank will share payouts
NATIONAL: The Reserve Bank of India has proposed a new compensation framework for small-value fraudulent electronic banking transactions, requiring the central bank, the customer’s bank and the beneficiary’s bank to share payouts to affected customers.
Under draft rules released on Friday, compensation will be capped at the lower of 85 per cent of the net loss amount or Rs 25,000 in cases where the gross loss from a fraudulent electronic transaction is up to Rs 50,000.
The proposal comes as regulators step up efforts to strengthen customer protection amid a rise in digital banking frauds.
RBI governor Sanjay Malhotra had indicated during last month’s monetary policy announcement that the central bank planned to introduce a compensation framework for small-value digital frauds, allowing affected customers to claim relief once during their lifetime.
According to the draft guidelines, when the loss is below Rs 29,412, compensation of 85 per cent of the loss will be paid. Of this amount, 65 per cent will be borne by the RBI, while the customer’s bank and the beneficiary bank will contribute 10 per cent each.
For losses of Rs 29,412 or more but up to Rs 50,000, the compensation will be capped at Rs 25,000. In such cases, the RBI will contribute Rs 19,118, while the customer’s bank and the beneficiary bank will each contribute Rs 2,941.
If funds are later recovered after compensation has been paid, the customer’s bank must recalculate the payout based on the revised net loss and adjust the recovered amount accordingly.
Customers will be eligible for compensation only if they report the fraudulent transaction within five calendar days of its occurrence.
Complaints must be lodged both with the bank and through the National Cyber Crime reporting portal or the National Cyber Crime helpline. Banks must also confirm that the loss is bona fide under their internal processes.
Once a complaint is received, banks must compensate the customer within five calendar days, the draft rules state.
In joint accounts, only one account holder may submit a compensation claim.
The central bank has also proposed tightening transaction alerts by mandating instant SMS notifications for all electronic banking transactions above Rs 500. For transactions of up to Rs 500, banks may decide whether to send alerts based on internal policies.
Banks will not be allowed to charge customers for SMS messages sent to meet regulatory requirements or those used for promotional, marketing or customer awareness purposes.
The draft framework also calls for stronger oversight by requiring banks to periodically report complaints related to fraudulent electronic transactions to their boards or board-level committees. These reports must detail the number and value of cases across categories including card-present transactions, card-not-present transactions, internet banking, mobile banking and ATM transactions.
The RBI has invited public comments on the draft guidelines until 6 April, 2026. The rules are expected to take effect on 1 July, 2026 once finalised.
Banking officials say the proposed sharing of compensation between the RBI, the customer’s bank and the beneficiary bank is intended to increase vigilance across the digital payments ecosystem.
