News Broadcasting
Network18 widens lead over Times Internet with digital and TV dominance
MUMBAI: If news were a contact sport, Network18 just scored a digital hat-trick while keeping its closest rival, Times Internet, firmly on the defensive. Network18 has cemented its status as India’s undisputed news juggernaut, clocking a towering 300.35 million unique visitors (UVs) in May 2025, according to the latest ComScore MMX data. With a 67 per cent digital reach, it outpaced Times Internet Limited by over 82 million UVs, with the latter trailing at 217.83 million UVs (48 per cent reach).
The digital scoreboard shows a clear trend: Network18 has led for three straight months, with UVs peaking at 321 million in April and 315 million in March, compared to Times Internet’s 196 million and 203 million in the same periods.
It’s not just the network flexing its muscles News18.com, the flagship digital brand, has been leaving The Times of India in the dust. With 245 million UVs in May, News18 maintained a consistent lead over TOI’s 200 million UVs. And the margin’s been widening: April saw News18 at 283 million UVs to TOI’s 173 million, while March posted 251 million vs 182 million, respectively.
But the domination doesn’t stop at pixels. On television, CNN-News18 has held the No. 1 position in English news for over three consecutive years, a feat unmatched in the industry. In the Hindi news universe, News18 India remains the most-watched across the country. Add to that Network18’s reach across regional languages, and the brand’s influence begins to look not just dominant but pan-Indian.
While digital players grapple with fractured attention spans and changing algorithms, Network18 seems to have found the secret sauce reach, consistency, and trust across screens, languages, and formats.
In a media ecosystem obsessed with virality, Network18’s steady, multiplatform march to the top is less flash, more firepower. And in the battle for eyeballs, it’s clear who’s setting the pace and who’s still trying to catch up.
News Broadcasting
Induction cooktop demand spikes 30× amid LPG supply concerns
Supply worries linked to West Asia tensions push households and restaurants to turn to electric cooking alternatives
MUMBAI: As geopolitical tensions in West Asia ripple through global energy supply chains, the familiar blue flame in Indian kitchens is facing an unexpected challenger: electricity.
What began as concerns over the availability of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has quickly evolved into a technology-driven shift in cooking habits. Households across India are increasingly turning to induction cooktops and other electric appliances, initially as a backup but now, for many, a necessity.
A sudden surge in demand
Recent data from quick-commerce and grocery platform BigBasket highlights the scale of the shift. According to Seshu Kumar Tirumala, the company’s chief buying and merchandising officer, demand for induction cooktops has risen dramatically.
“Induction cooktops have seen a significant surge in demand, recording a fivefold jump on 10 March and a thirtyfold spike on 11 March,” Tirumala said.
The increase stands out sharply when compared with broader kitchen appliance trends. Most appliance categories are growing within 10 per cent of their typical demand levels, while induction cooktops have witnessed explosive growth as households rush to secure an alternative cooking option.
Major e-commerce platforms including Amazon and Flipkart have reported rising searches and orders for induction stoves. Quick-commerce apps such as Blinkit and Zepto have also witnessed stock shortages in major metropolitan areas including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
What was once considered a convenient appliance for hostels, small kitchens or occasional use has suddenly become an essential addition in many homes.
A crisis thousands of miles away
The trigger for this shift lies far beyond India’s kitchens.
Escalating conflict in the Middle East has disrupted shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Nearly 85 to 90 per cent of India’s LPG imports pass through this narrow waterway, making the country particularly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
The ripple effects have been swift.
India currently meets roughly 60 per cent of its LPG demand through imports, and tightening global supply has already begun to affect domestic availability and prices.
Earlier this month, the price of domestic LPG cylinders increased by Rs 60, while commercial cylinders rose by more than Rs 114.
To discourage panic buying and hoarding, the government has also extended the mandatory waiting period between domestic refill bookings from 21 days to 25 days.
Restaurants feel the pressure
The strain is not limited to households. Restaurants, hotels and roadside eateries are also grappling with supply constraints as commercial LPG availability tightens under restrictions imposed through the Essential Commodities Act.
In cities such as Bengaluru and Chennai, restaurant associations report that commercial LPG availability has dropped by as much as 75 per cent, forcing many establishments to rethink their kitchen operations.
Some restaurants have reduced menu offerings, while others are rapidly installing high-efficiency induction systems, creating hybrid kitchens where electricity now shares the workload with gas.
For smaller eateries and roadside dhabas, the shift is less about sustainability and more about survival.
A potential structural shift
The government has maintained that there is no nationwide LPG crisis and has directed refineries to increase production to stabilise supply.
Nevertheless, the developments of March 2026 may already be triggering a longer-term behavioural shift.
For decades, LPG has been the backbone of cooking in Indian households. However, recent disruptions have highlighted the risks of relying on a single fuel source.
Increasingly, households appear to be hedging against uncertainty by adopting electric cooking options to guard against price volatility and delivery delays.
If the current trend continues, the induction cooktop, once viewed as a niche appliance, could emerge as a quiet symbol of India’s evolving kitchen economy.
