I&B Ministry
Home Ministry to examine applications of MSOs for security clearance
NEW DELHI: Even as several multi-system operators (MSOs) have been waiting endlessly for security clearances to ensure they get licences for digital addressable system from the Government, the Home Ministry has now indicated requirement of fresh security clearance before renewal of permission can be considered.
According to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, which has been pursuing the matter with the Home Ministry, the latter has finally decided to examine the application of which the details sent by the MSOs have been forwarded to it.
If found suitable, permission will be granted for renewal for an interim period up to 31 December, 2015 or till the final decision on your application for renewal of permission is taken, whichever is earlier.
However, MSOs have been asked to furnish an affidavit to the effect that the company will abide by all the provisions of the latest Uplinking/ Downlinking Guidelines and other relevant instructions and modifications issued from time to time.
All applicant MSOs have been asked to send the information to the I&B Ministry along with supporting documents at the earliest within 15 days to enable us to proceed further in the matter.
They may also enclose the details of Board of Directors (BOD) and latest Share Holding Pattern (SHP) including FDI component, if any, duly accompanied by requisite approval of the Foreign Investments Promotion Board (FIPB).
The companies may also ensure submission of the annual renewal fee for both Uplinking and Downlinking at rates as applicable as per Guidelines and for the period that may be due.
I&B Secretary Bimal Julka had earlier told Indiantelevision.com that he had sent a fresh reminder to the Home Ministry and also sought a meeting with concerned officials in this regard in view of the large number of applications pending.
Major players whose applications are pending for lack of Home Ministry Security clearance include Reliance Jio Media Pvt Ltd, CAT Vision Pvt Ltd, Signum Digital Network Pvt Ltd, Digirevo Networks, Goldy Dishnet Pvt. Ltd., Citv Television Network, Sri Udav Satvision and General Entertainment Pvt Ltd.
I&B Ministry
Government sets up AI governance group to steer policy
AIGEG to align ministries, assess jobs impact, guide AI deployment.
MUMBAI: If artificial intelligence is the engine, the government is now building the dashboard and making sure everyone reads from the same screen. The Centre has constituted a new inter-ministerial body to coordinate India’s approach to AI, formalising a key recommendation from its governance framework and the Economic Survey. The AI Governance and Economic Group (AIGEG), set up by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, will act as the central platform to align AI-related policy across ministries, regulators and departments, an attempt to bring coherence to what has so far been a fragmented and fast-evolving landscape.
The group will be chaired by union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, with minister of state Jitin Prasada as vice chairperson. Its composition reflects both technological and economic priorities, bringing together the principal scientific adviser, the chief economic adviser, and the CEO of NITI Aayog, alongside key secretaries from telecommunications, economic affairs and science and technology. A representative from the National Security Council Secretariat is also part of the group, while the MeitY secretary will serve as member convenor.
At its core, AIGEG is designed to do two things: coordinate and anticipate. On the policy front, it will review existing regulatory mechanisms, issue guidance across sectors and ensure companies remain compliant with evolving legal frameworks. Beyond that, it will oversee national initiatives on AI governance, with a focus on enabling responsible innovation rather than merely regulating it.
The economic dimension is equally central. The group has been tasked with assessing how AI-driven automation could reshape jobs identifying which roles are most at risk, where those impacts may be geographically concentrated, and whether technology will augment or replace human labour. Based on these assessments, it will develop mitigation strategies and transition plans, signalling a more proactive stance on workforce disruption.
In parallel, AIGEG will work with industry stakeholders to chart a long-term roadmap for AI adoption, categorising use cases into “deploy”, “pilot” or “defer” buckets depending on readiness factors such as data availability, skill levels and regulatory clarity. The aim is to move from broad ambition to structured execution deciding not just what can be built, but what should be built now.
The group will function as the apex layer in India’s AI governance architecture, supported by a Technology and Policy Expert Committee that will track global developments, emerging risks and regulatory priorities. Together, the two bodies are expected to shape both the pace and direction of AI adoption in the country.
In a landscape where technology often outruns policy, the creation of AIGEG signals an attempt to close that gap ensuring that India’s AI journey is not just rapid, but also coordinated, accountable and economically grounded.
