News Broadcasting
BBC to revert India programming back to weekdays slot
BBC World, which had shifted its India-specific programming to the weekend slot following the events of 11 September, is switching back to the old schedule from next month.
Come 1 January, 2002, the crucial 10 PM time slot will again air India-sourced programmes that have an interesting mix of the old and the new in Commando!, Face to Face, Mastermind India, Question Time India, Islam UK and India Business Report.
The icing on the cake is the eagerly awaited Commando which kicks off on the 1st and will air every Tuesday at 10 PM It deals with the rigorous training that the Indian army goes through. The 13-part series follows commissioned officers who train at the Commando Training School in Karnataka. The course will last for a month and a half.
Over 39 days real life conditions will be simulated so that participants get a feel of real life war. Miditech Television has produced the show which will have repeats on Saturday at 10 PM and on Sunday at noon.
The fourth series of Mastermind India, the intellectual quiz show hosted by the inimitable Siddharth Basu will air every Thursday from 3 January with repeats on Sunday at 10 in the morning and will run for 21 weeks .
Face To Face hosted by Karan Thapar will air every Wednesday from 2 January. The show will be repeated on Sunday at 1 PM
On Friday Question Time India hosted by NDTV’s Prannoy Roy puts political honchos in the firing line. On Sunday at 11 in the morning viewers can catch up on the latest developments in the country’s business and financial circuit in India Business Report. The show will repeat at 10 PM
BBC World will also introduce new shows on Monday which will focus on NRI’s living in Britain. From 7 January the channel will premier a new series Islam UK. The seven part programme looks at Muslims living in Britain and how they adapt to the environment. It will scrutinise the misconceptions British citizens have about Islam. This becomes all the more important in light of the 11 September events.
In February the channel will start East which scrutinises three Asian women who have made a mark in the beauty business. It also follows three sisters who escaped being forced into marriage in Pakistan. Then in March the channel is showcasing Bindi Millionaires. The subject matter is three British women who appear in Sunday Times Rich list.
Quoting market research agency AC Nielsen’s TAM data, BBC World asserts that in the period from 9 September to 6 October it extended its lead position among the international news channels. Channel share touched 52 per cent followed by CNN at 38 per cent and CNBC India 10 per cent – C&S, SEC A and those above 25 years of age in the top nine cities. BBC claims to be available in 11 million homes in India.
News Broadcasting
Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.
