News Broadcasting
Rolando Santos is CNN Intl senior VP, international relations
MUMBAI: Rolando Santos is joining CNN International as senior VP, international relations. The announcement was made by CNN international MD Chris Cramer. In this role, Santos will play an integral part in the development of future CNN services around the world while working closely with CNN’s International affiliates and joint venture partnerships.
Santos, currently executive vice president and general manager of Headline News, takes up his new role with CNN in mid-September. Cramer says, “Rolando has unrivaled experience in the creation of numerous CNN services, including CNN en Español in 1997, CNN + in Spain and CNN Turk in 1999,” Cramer said. “As we continue to build upon CNN’s international heritage and global influence, he is the perfect choice to work alongside our worldwide partners, affiliates and colleagues.”
As a member of CNN International’s senior management group, Santos will work closely with Turner Broadcasting’s global business development teams identifying potential new platforms and editorial partnerships. He will also assume editorial liaison with some of CNN’s sister channels, CNN-IBN in India and CNN Turk in Turkey and will oversee CNN’s International Professional Program, which brings together journalists from around the world for hands-on editorial training in Atlanta
He says, “I have enjoyed working in the international arena and helping launch so many successful CNN services around the world and, more recently, building Headline News into the dynamic news channel that it has become. This is the perfect opportunity to return and help shape CNN’s international growth and future.”
Since 2002 Santos has served as executive VP and GM of Headline News, responsible for its development and overall operations. Prior to that he was president of CNN en Español, CNN’s 24-hour Spanish-language news network, where he oversaw all daily operations and editorial content of CNN en Español and CNN en Español Radio. He was also played a significant role in the development and launch of new international news networks such as CNN+ and CNN Turk.
Additionally, he oversaw the Spanish-language newsgathering operations, including a fully bilingual staff in Atlanta, a worldwide network of Spanish-speaking correspondents and eight full-service bureaus in Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Washington, D.C., Buenos Aires, Jerusalem, London and Mexico City.
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.
