News Broadcasting
Govt. offers incentives under ‘Make in India’ programme to electronics manufacturers
NEW DELHI: More than 50 multi-national companies as well as Indian business houses had come forward with proposals to set up manufacturing units for electronic goods including set top boxes after the government announced relaxations to promote the ‘Make in India’ policy.
Taking part in the section on Electronic Manufacturing at the Times Television’s Digital Summit here, Communications and Information Technology joint secretary Ajay Kumar said that the whole process will mean recreating the IT industry and changing the eco-system as Indians had got used to importing cheap equipment from overseas.
However, he said that the IT industry was on the verge of ‘explosive growth’ because it had huge brain power, demographic profile, and a government determined to promote the ‘Make in India’ and ‘Digital India’ programmes.
Kumar claimed that the government was giving several incentives including a 25 per cent incentive in the manufacturing sector for electronic goods. Training programmes had been created for in-house human resources and there was focus on innovation and research and development.
However, Manufacturers’ Association for Information Technology (MAIT) vice president Nitin Kunkdienker said, “The government’s policies are still not helpful to the growth of the sector. A mere announcement of a national policy is not enough if states do not encourage to collaborate on various issues.”
He said even the central ministries did not talk to each other, referring specifically to the IT Ministry, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, the Home Ministry, the Finance Ministry and the External Affairs Ministry.
In many states, the Chief Ministers had no control over the affairs relating to the industry. There was also need for process improvement such as customs etc. and the government should be able to optimize its advantages. It should also bring in the educational institutions on the programmes to create a system that sets standards.
Amar Babu R K of Lenovo referred to a general mistrust between the government and the industry.
News Broadcasting
Network18 Q4 revenue grows 9.7 per cent, EBITDA at Rs 30 crore
PAT improves to Rs 306.6 crore, margins steady amid cost pressures.
MUMBAI: Not all news is breaking, some of it is quietly improving. Network18 Media & Investments Limited appears to be doing just that, tightening losses and stabilising margins even as costs continue to weigh on the business. For FY26, the company reported revenue from operations of Rs 1,955.1 crore, up from Rs 1,896.2 crore in FY25, signalling modest top-line growth in a challenging media environment. Total income stood at Rs 1,978.2 crore, compared to Rs 1,913 crore a year earlier.
Profit after tax came in at Rs 306.6 crore for the year, a sharp turnaround from Rs 3,225.4 crore in FY25, largely reflecting the absence of large exceptional items that had inflated the previous year’s numbers. On a more comparable basis, the company’s operating performance showed signs of gradual stabilisation.
However, the quarterly picture remained under pressure. For the March quarter, Network18 reported a loss of Rs 53.1 crore, narrower than the Rs 98.1 crore loss in the same period last year, but still indicative of ongoing cost challenges.
Expenses continued to track high. Total expenses for FY26 stood at Rs 2,235.7 crore, up from Rs 2,197.8 crore in FY25. Key cost heads included operational expenses of Rs 765.9 crore, employee benefits of Rs 475.9 crore, and marketing, distribution and promotional spends of Rs 427.1 crore, underlining the continued investment required to sustain reach and engagement.
At an operating level, margins remained under strain. Operating margin stood at 2.33 per cent for FY26, marginally higher than 1.77 per cent in FY25, while net profit margin remained negative at -13.02 per cent, though improved from -14.89 per cent.
On the balance sheet, total assets rose to Rs 8,957.6 crore as of 31 March 2026, from Rs 8,317.5 crore a year earlier. Equity strengthened to Rs 4,958.7 crore, while borrowings increased to Rs 3,112.8 crore, reflecting a higher reliance on debt to support operations.
Cash flows told a mixed story. While financing activities generated Rs 83.9 crore, operating cash flow remained negative at Rs -24 crore, highlighting ongoing pressure on core cash generation. Cash and cash equivalents, however, improved to Rs 33.9 crore from Rs 1.8 crore.
The numbers point to a company in transition growing revenues, trimming losses, but still grappling with structural cost pressures. In a sector where scale often comes at a price, Network18 seems to be inching towards balance, one quarter at a time.
