I&B Ministry
MIB’s Neerja Sekhar visits SuperGaming, champions India’s gaming sector
Mumbai: SuperGaming, India’s prominent game development studio, recently hosted the ministry of information & broadcasting, IAS, special secretary, Neerja Sekhar, at its Pune office. During her visit, Sekhar explored SuperGaming’s latest Indo-futuristic battle royale game, ‘Indus’, which has captured the Indian gaming community since its release in October. Her discussions with the SuperGaming team delved into the creative and technical processes of game development, offering valuable insight into this fast-growing industry.
The ministry of information & broadcasting continues to emphasise gaming as a valuable career path within India’s burgeoning animation, visual effects, gaming, and comics (AVGC) sector. The SuperGaming team shared their vision for ‘Indus’ as a cultural export, underscoring the importance of gaming in skill-building and career growth for India’s youth.
India’s esports scene has seen considerable momentum, especially since esports was recognised as a multi-sport event by the government. In line with this growth, the ministry recently announced the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES), set for February 2025 in New Delhi. This event will debut the WAVES Esports Championships (WESC) 2025, the nation’s first gender-inclusive esports tournament.
prime minister Narendra Modi recently called for Indian game developers to step onto the global stage, a vision embodied by ‘Indus Battle Royale’ as it resonates with players worldwide. SuperGaming is committed to fostering this vision through initiatives like the ‘Clutch India Movement,’ a year-long esports program starting with the Indus International Tournament, which features the largest prize pool for a battle royale game in India at Rs 2.5 crore.
Sekhar’s visit to SuperGaming reflects the government’s dedication to nurturing the AVGC sector, positioning it as a vital component of India’s digital economy and cultural landscape.
I&B Ministry
AIDCF moves TDSAT over Waves plan to stream linear TV channels
Industry body flags regulatory gap as OTT push sparks broadcast turf war
NEW DELHI: The battle between traditional television distributors and digital platforms has found its way to the courts, with the All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF) moving the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) against Prasar Bharati’s latest OTT play.
At the heart of the dispute is Waves, Prasar Bharati’s OTT platform, which has invited applications to onboard linear satellite TV channels. Aidcf, which represents multi-system operators (msos), argues that this move sidesteps existing broadcasting rules and risks tilting the playing field in favour of digital platforms.
The federation’s petition hinges on a key provision in the Uplinking and Downlinking Guidelines, 2022. Clause 11(3)(f) allows broadcasters to downlink channels only if they provide signal decoders to recognised distribution platforms such as MSOS, DTH operators, hits operators and iptv platforms. OTT platforms, aidcf points out, do not feature on that list.
In simple terms, AIDCF’s argument is this: if OTT platforms are not officially recognised distributors, they should not be receiving broadcast signals in the first place. By inviting channels onto Waves, the federation claims, Prasar Bharati is opening a backdoor that lets broadcasters bypass long-standing rules.
The concern goes beyond legal interpretation. Aidcf says OTT platforms currently operate without a clear regulatory framework, allowing them to expand into traditional broadcasting territory without the compliance burden that cable and satellite operators must carry. That, it argues, creates an uneven contest.
There is also a warning for broadcasters. If they provide signal decoders to an OTT platform like Waves, they could risk breaching the very conditions under which their downlinking permissions were granted.
For its part, Prasar Bharati’s Waves initiative is positioned as a step towards wider access and digital reach, bringing linear television into the streaming era. But critics say the move blurs the line between regulated broadcasting and largely unregulated streaming.
The matter is expected to come up before tdsat next week. The outcome could do more than settle a single dispute. It may help define how India regulates the fast-merging worlds of television and OTT, where the lines are getting fuzzier by the day and the stakes, sharper than ever.
