News Broadcasting
Chandra exhorts industry to sink differences
NEW DELHI: While exhorting broadcasting industry to sink differences for collective benefit, Zee Telefilms chairman and maverick media entrepreneur Subhash Chandra today posed several issues before the government and sector regulator, including level playing field vis-à-vis telecom companies.
“Let us all work together for long term benefits as blaming each other will not help. Let us work in partnership,” Chandra appealed to various constituents of the industry while delivering a keynote address at the India Broadband Digital Networks Forum organized here by Indiantelevision.com and Media Partners Asia.
Citing the example of CAS, Chandra wondered if all the stakeholders felt that addressability is good for the industry, how come it hasn’t yet become a reality in India.
“Simply because vested interests (including broadcasters and cable fraternity) worked against CAS’ implementation since 2003,” Chandra said.
Though he sought a more liberal regulatory regime both in terms of pricing and policies in the presence of I&B secretary and Trai chief , he agreed with both of them that comparison of the Indian market with the likes of US and UK is uncalled for as the former has its own needs and peculiarities.
“If we had followed the American model, it would have needed investments worth $ 150-200 billion to bring the cable TV market to a level it now enjoys in terms of penetration, revenue and employment generation in India,” Chandra said.
Earlier, information and broadcasting secretary SK Arora in his keynote address made a fervent pitch for digitalization of broadcasting services, which is imperative to keep pace with global trends and changing business models of media companies.
“In terms of size and magnitude, the potential of the Indian broadcasting industry remains…and it’s quite a challenge to identify the impact that emerging technologies would have on business models of companies,” Arora said.
Pointing out that India needs to design its own “solutions” keeping in mind the socio-economic scenario (read good services at low prices), Arora said regulations would be guided by the principle that “consumer is king.”
According to the government official, in the 11th Five-Year Plan, the work on which is presently underway, the government is attempting to address the issue of digitalisation through “public-private partnership.”
“We are encouraging and nudging them (the industry players) to move towards digitalisation,” Arora said, adding the first phase of it is expected to be completed by 2010 coinciding with Delhi playing host to the Commonwealth Games.
Concurring with Arora, Telecom Regulatory of India (Trai) chief Nripendra Misra said arrival of digital technology, which gives more choice to consumers, and rapid convergence of services like telecom, infotech and broadcasting were two major trends of the television industry.
However, Misra admitted that unregulated growth and lack of addressability had thrown up its own problems for the broadcast and cable industry.
In such a scenario, DTH and CAS will have far-reaching impact on the industry, Misra said.
Unfazed by widespread criticism of some pricing diktats of Trai earlier, Misra said that the regulator’s endeavour is to spread level playing field for all and formulate policies that are based to encourage efficiency, financing, development and equality.
Though he admitted various legal lacunae is hampering a move towards unified licencing (whereby one single licence would enable delivery of telecom and broadcast services) at present, he envisaged in future cable networks might provide telecom services and give competition to telecom companies.
“Convergence is being seen as an opportunity (in India)…but any development globally has to be seen in the Indian context,” Misra said, adding Trai will be coming out soon with a consultation paper on IPTV again.
Meanwhile, at the start of the event, Indiantelevision.com founder and editor-in-chief Anil Wanvari and MPA executive director Vivek Couto gave a snapshot of the Indian broadcast industry and the trends that have emerged over the last few years increasingly leading towards convergence.
The morning session was attended by industry luminaries and senior government officials, including John Malone-controlled Liberty Media board member Shane O’ Neil.
News Broadcasting
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.
