I&B Ministry
Idea, Star Den among Rs-1200 cr FDI proposals approved; latter to switch to investing biz
NEW DELHI: Star Den Media Services and Idea Cellular are among the six proposals cleared by the government on Thursday for receiving foreign direct investment (FDI) of around Rs 1,200 crore.
Other companies that have been cleared are — Sanofi Synthelabo India, Recipharm Participation B.V. Netherlands, Boehringer Ingelheim India Pvt. Ltd, A. Menarini India Private Limited. Six proposals have been deferred for further discussions — Gland Pharma Limited, Flag Telecom Singapore Pte Limited, Crest Premedia Solutions Pvt. Ltd, Scientific Publishing Services Pvt Ltd, You Broadband India Limited and Netmagic Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
There were a total of 17 proposals recommended by FIPB in its meeting held on 29 December 2016 headed by economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das.
Idea Cellular Infrastructure Services Ltd’s proposal to take on record the increase of foreign investment in ICISL beyond 50 per cent and allow foreign investment in ICISL up to 67.5 per cent received approval.
Star Den Media Services’ proposal to discontinue its existing business of providing support services to broadcasters in relation to TV channel distribution business, and thus continue to act only as investing company was also okayed.
The Finance Ministry on the recommendation of the Foreign Investments Promotion Board has thus given permission to Den only to continue as investing company. Thus, no new foreign investment is involved.
The committee deferred decision on a proposal by Flag Telecom Singapore Pte Limited Singapore, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Reliance Communications (RCOM), India seeking approval to acquire 100 per cent shares of M/s Reliance Global Cloud Xchange Limited which was incorporated in June 2016 by Indian residents.
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. SBM Holding will amalgamate into CPSPL, which is part of the Springer Group of companies.
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 today.
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, as was a proposal by M/s Scientific Publishing Services Pvt Ltd for issuance of equity shares to the non-resident shareholders of M/s Springer SBM Services Limited, a Mauritius Company under a Scheme of Amalgamation of SBM Services with SPSPL, pursuant to approval of the High Court.
Also Read :
Nod to Idea, Star Den & four may fetch Rs 1200 cr FDI; You & Crest proposals deferred
Star Den, Flag Telecom, You & Idea FDI meet on 28 Dec
I&B Ministry
CBFC speeds up film certification; average approval time cut to 22 days
Over 71,900 films cleared in five years as digital system shortens approval timelines
MUMBAI:Â The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) has significantly reduced the time taken to certify films, with the average approval timeline now down to 22 working days for feature films and just three days for short films.
Operating under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the statutory body certifies films for public exhibition in line with the Cinematograph Act, 1952 and the Cinematograph (Certification) Rules, 2024. The rules prescribe a maximum certification period of 48 working days, though the adoption of the Online Certification System has sharply accelerated the process.
Over the past five years, from 2020-21 to 2024-25, the board certified a total of 71,963 films across formats. Of these, the majority fell under the U category with 41,817 titles, followed by UA with 28,268 films and A with 1,878 films. No films were certified under the S category during the period.
Film approvals have also steadily risen in recent years. The CBFC cleared 8,299 films in 2020-21, a figure that peaked at 18,070 in 2022-23 before settling at 15,444 films in 2024-25. During the same period, 11,064 films were certified with cuts or modifications.
Despite the high volume of certifications, outright refusals remain rare. Only three films were denied certification over the last five years, with one refusal recorded in 2022-23 and two in 2024-25.
The board may recommend cuts or modifications if a film violates statutory parameters relating to the sovereignty and integrity of India, security of the state, friendly relations with foreign states, public order, decency or morality, defamation, contempt of court or incitement to an offence.
Filmmakers can challenge CBFC decisions in court. Data shows that such disputes remain limited but have seen some fluctuation. Between 2021 and 2025, a total of 21 certification decisions were challenged before High Courts, with the number rising to 10 cases in 2025.
Responding to a question in the Rajya Sabha, minister of state for information and broadcasting L. Murugan shared the data. The question was raised by Mallikarjun Kharge.
With faster timelines and a largely digital workflow, the certification process appears to be moving at a far brisker pace, signalling a shift towards quicker clearances for India’s growing film output.
