News Broadcasting
CNBC-TV18 unites with Twitter India for Union Budget 2016
MUMBAI: CNBC-TV18 has joined hands with Twitter India to breakdown one of the most awaited policy events of the year – the Union Budget 2016. To be announced today dated 29 February by the finance minister Arun Jaitley, the duo has combined to give depth to the many discussions that Indian twitterati will initiate regarding the real effects of budget on every Indian.
With young India following every move and every initiative of the Modi government, this year’s budget will establish the fact whether India made the right decision two years back.
CNBC-TV18 VP marketing Priyanka Tiku says, “We at CNBC-TV18 are always setting higher and higher benchmarks for the rest of the news broadcast category. Our partnership with Twitter India is testimony to our daily endeavour to facilitate intelligent financial conversation. As we are the most watched channel on Budget every year, it is only right that we front the debate on Twitter as well.”
The Budget can expect not only the best markets and business faces of India on the channel, but also broadcast the views and global expectations from international business experts from the various CNBC headquarters across the globe.
“From real-time updates to live broadcasts, Twitter continues to be the platform where you break news first. News channels have been using Twitter tools to engage with their audiences, using rich media content such as images, live videos and more to innovatively connect with their wide spectrum of audiences on the platform. Through our partnership with CNBC-TV18, Twitter becomes your live connection to the annual Union Budget this year, with this complex policy event broken down for live consumption. All of India will get to understand what the Budget really means for them with live, real-time and decoded analysis #OnlyOnTwitter. With the best of news content and conversations live on our platform, we aim to drive many more innovative engagements and create unique experiences for our users,” adds Twitter India head TV partnerships Viral Jani.
From exclusive periscope discussions with CNBC-TV18 anchors right after the speech to live simplified updates during the Union Budget, the channel will cover it all in partnership with Twitter. Viewers will not have to sift through tedious lists of budget highlights to pick out the announcements that make sense to one’s life. One can simply tweet #AskCNBCTV18 and team CNBC-TV18 will cull out the policy announcements that answer specific questions.
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.
