I&B Ministry
Climate favourable for FDI, Flag, Crest, You & Netmagic in queue
MUMBAI: The business climate seems to be favourable for more and better inflow of foreign direct investments into India. As the government took steps to improve ease of doing business and relax regulations, foreign direct investment into India grew by 60 per cent to US$ 4.68 billion in November 2016 as compared to US$ 2.93 billion the previous November.
Star Den Media Services and Idea Cellular are among six proposals recently cleared by the government for receiving foreign direct investment (FDI) of around Rs 1,200 crore.
Among the proposals that have been deferred for further discussions are — Flag Telecom Singapore Pte Limited, Crest Premedia Solutions Pvt. Ltd, You Broadband India Limited and Netmagic Solutions Pvt. Ltd. Flag Telecom is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Reliance Communications (RCom).
A proposal by M/s Crest Premedia Solutions Pvt. Ltd seeking approval for issuance of equity shares to the non-resident shareholders of M/s Springer SBM Holding Ltd., a Mauritius Company under a Scheme of Amalgamation was also deferred.
M/s You Broadband India Limited had sought post facto approval for acquisition of 9,79,875 equity shares of its downstream company M/s Digital Outsourcing Private Limited (DOPL) in lieu of issue of 20,58,759 equity shares to its resident shareholders by way of swap of shares but this was deferred.
A proposal by Netmagic Solutions Pvt. Ltd for the increase in the shareholding of NTT Communications Corporation, Japan in the company from 81.63 per cent to 100 per cent was deferred.
Cumulatively, India attracted US$ 32.49 billion foreign inflows in April-November period of the current fiscal as against US$ 24.81 billion in the same period previous year.
The main sectors which have attracted foreign inflows during the eight months period of 2016-17 include telecom (US$ 5.47 billion) and information & broadcasting (US$ 1.06 billion).
Foreign investments are considered crucial for India, which needs around US$ 1 trillion for overhauling its infrastructure sector such as ports, airports and highways to boost growth.
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Idea, Star Den among Rs-1200 cr FDI proposals approved; latter to switch to investing biz
I&B Ministry
India tightens anti-piracy law, blocks sites and Telegram channels
New rules bring jail terms, fines and faster takedowns of illegal content
NEW DELHI: The Government of India has stepped up its fight against film piracy, invoking stricter provisions under the Cinematograph Amendment Act 2023 to crack down on unauthorised recording and distribution.
The law now imposes tougher penalties, including jail terms ranging from three months to three years and fines starting at Rs. 3 lakh, which can go up to 5 per cent of a film’s production cost. The provisions target both illegal recording in cinemas and unauthorised online transmission.
In a fresh enforcement push, authorities have notified the Telegram platform to act against piracy, leading to the identification of 3,142 channels allegedly distributing copyrighted content without permission. In parallel, access to around 800 piracy websites has been blocked through internet service providers.
The action has been taken under the Information Technology Act 2000, which empowers the government to direct intermediaries to remove unlawful content. The framework is further reinforced by the Information Technology Rules 2021, requiring platforms to act swiftly when notified of violations.
An institutional mechanism is also in place, allowing copyright holders and authorised representatives to file complaints through designated nodal officers. Once verified, these complaints trigger takedown notices to intermediaries for disabling access to infringing content.
The update was shared in Parliament by Government of India minister of state information and broadcasting l murugan in response to a query from Parimal Nathwani.
The government’s latest move signals a sharper, more coordinated approach to tackling piracy across both physical and digital channels. For the film industry, it is a step towards protecting revenues, while for viewers, it reinforces the shift towards legitimate content consumption.
