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CASBAA announces India chapter; Shourie first chairman
MUMBAI: The Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA) today announced the launch of an India chapter in what it said was a part of their overall regional strategy.
The Indian chapter will be chaired by Discovery India managing director Deepak Shourie and will comprise all the members of the association that currently have representation in the Indian market.
Star India CEO Peter Mukerjea will hold the position of vice chairman of the CASBAA India chapter and the key steering group will comprise Sony Entertainment Television India CEO Kunal Dasgupta, Disney India managing director Rajat Jain and ESPN managing director RC Venkateish.
“Our objective is to highlight the real value of the multi-channel television industry in India. As an industry sector we need to better articulate our central role within the broad communications market. More than this, it is time for India to take its rightful place in the international community and showcase its achievements to the world,” said CASBAA chairman Marcel Fenez.
“By some estimates the pay-TV industry in India is worth up to $5 billion today, providing employment to thousands of highly skilled workers. To fully benefit from this platform we need to ensure that the next stage of our development includes a robust regulatory environment and advanced technologies,” said Shourie.
“Meanwhile, we also believe it is essential that the pay-TV industry in India has a clear voice. We hope that the CASBAA India Chapter will be joined by many other organisations with our common goals of developing a robust and advanced pay-TV market,” he added.
In response to a query posed by Indiantelevision.com, as to why there was no representation of any Indian media companies like the Zee Network on the India chapter of CASBAA; Dasgupta said, “The mandate will be to get everyone in the pay TV supply chain on to CASBAA so that we can monetise the entire supply chain to the maximum efficiency.”
Beyond dealing with day-to-day issues, the CASBAA India chapter will also promote initiatives such as the launch of a pay-TV sales and marketing training scheme in India by the CASBAA Media College and a series of CASBAA seminars on new technologies supporting the pay-TV industry. CASBAA will establish a full-time office in India in the coming months.
“We need to actively recruit new companies to join CASBAA within India so that we reflect the existing profile of the Association in other parts of the region,” said CASBAA Board director responsible for India Issues and CNBC Asia Pacific CEO and president Alexander Brown.
“CASBAA is about more than broadcasters. It represents the interests of a wide range sectors, including the MSOs, the satellite operators, the hardware providers and the original creators of our content. This will be the strength of the CASBAA India Chapter,” Brown added.
The two immediate issues on CASBAA India’s agenda will be, first, to bring the CASBAA conference to India, which is held in Hong Kong every year. Secondly, Dasgupta said that the CASBAA India chapter will be tackling the issue of hotels and pubs that are accessing pay TV and are not adequately compensating the pay channels for it. This is one issue that CASBAA has taken up proactively in Hong Kong.
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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.
