News Broadcasting
Differences resolved, MEN back as FTV’s India distributor
MUMBAI: It’s kiss and make up time looks like. French fashion channel FTV and estranged distribution partner Modi Entertainment Network today announced they were doing business together again.
A statement from FTV says it has ambitious and exciting plans for India having buried its differences with the Modis and is renewing its commitment to the market here.
I am happy to say that we have very amicably resolved our differences with the Modis and are looking forward to a long and uninterrupted period of co-operation in making our position in India simply unassailable, an official release quoted FTV bossman Michel Adam as saying. Echoing Adams sentiments, Modi Enterprises president Lalit Modi said: We have already taken great strides in unleashing the unique appeal and potential of FTV. I believe the best is yet to come.
FTV India with its soon-to-be-launched India-specific beam will now step-up its Indian content, by developing new shows and vignettes and showcasing Indian fashion, lifestyle and music. It will pump up its content for Fashion India in the coming months with an additional focus on fashion in Indian cinema, heritage fashion and fashionable destinations, the release says.
FTV, which had turned free-to-air after it broke away from the Modis, is expected to return to the pay mode once the reworked distribution arrangement has set in, some time towards the end of the year.
Additionally, encouraged by the resounding success of its F. Bar & Lounges, in Bangalore and New Delhi FTV India, with the technical expertise and support of FTV, will soon introduce the concept to the cities of Hyderabad; Mumbai; Pune; Chandigarh, Calcutta, Goa, Chennai, and add a second location in New Delhi, within the next 12-18 months, the statement says. FTV is presently in the process of finalizing prospective franchisees for these cities.
FTV is, also, in the year ahead, looking at launching F. Cafés and F. Salons, across India strengthening its leadership in the Fashion category and delivering its promise of a 360 degree fashion experience.
Globally, Fashion TV is the first worldwide 24-hour television network entirely dedicated to fashion, beauty and style. In just seven years, since its inception in 1997, Fashion TV has emerged as one of the five best-distributed channels in the world and an acknowledged medium of reference. It is present in 130 countries on 5 continents through 31 satellites and over 1000 cable systems. Broadcast by leading global media groups, such as Eutelsat, BSkyB and Astra C, Fashion TV has a confirmed reach of over 130 million households. Ftv.com, the on line version of the brand, is also the front-runner in its space, attracting over one million unique users per month.
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.
