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Network18’s India – China Dialogues discusses key issues & bilateral ties
MUMBAI: During Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to China, Network18 hosted The India-China Dialogues, which successfully mirrored the emerging dynamism in bilateral policy making and reflected on areas of mutual cooperation between India and China.
The event witnessed top policymakers from both India and China and discussed challenges and common goals in an effort to chart a blueprint for an ambitious and constructive partnership with the two nations.
The dialogue hosted detailed discussion where some of the respected names in the industry put forth their views on significant topics such as technology cooperation, business prospects with Make in India, trade and investment and potential of the bilateral ties.
Some of the key people representing the Chinese were Elion Group chairman and member of the Communist Party of China Wang Wenbiao; Development Research Center, State Council senior economist Ding Yifan; former Chinese Counsellor to India Deng Junbing; China Center for Contemporary World Studies senior researcher Wang Dong and CIIS senior researcher Jia Xiudong.
Meanwhile, Indian policy makers and influencers in attendance were India Foundation director and BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav; economist Arvind Virmani; Institute of Chinese Studies, India assistant director Jabin Jacob and former ambassador of India to France and Germany Amb TCA Rangachari.
Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion secretary Amitabh Kant and former minister of Rural Development Jairam Ramesh made an important contribution to the dialogue by means of audio-visual messages.
Some of the key highlights from the conclave:
Speaking at the dialogues, CNN-IBN managing editor Radhakrishnan Nair said, “Success happens when preparation and opportunities meet. In China, we say that there is preparation and execution. In India, we find that execution is where we lack. In terms of trade and economy, India should learn from the Chinese, and the question for China is, should China invest in India? Challenges are there but opportunities are immense if India and China come together.”
BJP general secretary Ram Madhav added, “President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Modi are making serious efforts to take our bilateral relations to newer levels. With two strong governments and two strong leaders, we should now engage with each other in registering what I call gradual progress on all outstanding issues. We also need to create more freedom and relaxation in visa regimes. As our PM highlighted during the visit of President Xi Jinping to India, we also have to register some progress on issues like our border. We have to ensure that peace is restored on the border.”
Government of India DIPP secretary Amitabh Kant said, “India and China are the two most dynamic economies of the world. What we are witnessing today is the revival of these Asian economies at the centre stage of the global economy. China & Indian economies are not competitive in nature but complimentary to each other. China has been the factory of the world, India has been the back office of the world and it is important that both of us work together. The strategy for China should be ‘Invested by China but Made in India.”
Former Minister of Rural Development Jairam Ramesh touched upon areas of investment, water resource planning, green economy and people to people collaboration. He said, “Green economy is an area of strategic leadership for both China and India. This is an area in which both countries can work together and learn from each other. Similarly, water resource planning between the two countries is crucial. People-to-people collaboration between the two countries has tremendous possibilities. Clearly India and China must work together. We have our differences which are being discussed and hopefully they will get sorted out.”
The dialogue served as a critical platform to discuss key issues pertaining to Asia’s two leading economies and the way forward for both. The dignitaries gave a fresh perspective to Indo-china relations and the scope of their working together.
The dialogue was hosted on 12 May, 2015 at Park Hyatt, Beijing and broadcast across the leading Network18 channels including CNN-IBN and IBN7.
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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.
