News Broadcasting
CAS passage likely on 10 December, asserts Swaraj
NEW DELHI: Information and broadcasting minister Sushma Swaraj has done it again. The government is confident that the process of implementation of the conditional access system (CAS) should get the nod of the Upper House (Rajya Sabha) of the Indian Parliament next week.
“CAS is coming up in the Rajya Sabha on 10 December and it should be passed,” information and broadcasting minister Sushma Swaraj told indiantelevision.com today afternoon.
Sounding absolutely confident of the passage of the amendments proposed in the Cable TV (Networks) Regulation Amendment Bill 2002, Swaraj said she does not foresee any opposition to the Bill in the Rajya Sabha now.
The Bill, which seeks to facilitate implementation of CAS and bring about addressability in Indian cable homes, has already been okayed by the Lok Sabha (Lower House) during the monsoon session itself. The Bill is now awaiting the rajya Sabha’s nod before it is enacted into law.
Swaraj’s assertive stance on CAS comes a day after the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF), after initial reservations on CAS, made it public that it supports the government initiatives on CAS.
Asked whether she will be present during the introduction of CAS in the Rajya Sabha on 10 December as she is slated to tour the state of Gujarat from 8 December as part of election campaigning, Swaraj shot back, “But I am back in Delhi on the morning of 10 December.”
The Rajya Sabha, where the government does not have a majority, has been a problem area for the government as far as CAS is concerned. The Opposition Members of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha — mainly the Communist party of India (Marxist) and the Congress Party — had been demanding that the issue of CAS be discussed thoroughly and, preferably, be referred to a parliamentary committee for more deliberations on the issue.
A senior RS partyman of the CPM, Nilotpaul Basu, had told indiantelevision.com recently that his party is for CAS to be referred to a parliamentary panel for more discussion on the issue. However, today Basu could not be contacted for comments on Swaraj’s latest assertion on CAS.
The CAS issue had been listed on the agenda of the Rajya Sabha soon after Parliament reconvened for the Winter session on 18 November but could not be taken up for discussion for various reasons.
The government has also allotted a three-hour time in Rajya Sabha for discussions on CAS.
Finally, after a whole host of twists and turns, CAS looks on its way to becoming reality, though its actual implementation will take some more time. Unless of course something unforeseen happens next week that will again take precedence over CAS.
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.
