News Broadcasting
Subhash Chandra cos diversify into infra biz
NEW DELHI: After having made a mark in the media and entertainment industry, media baron Subhash Chandra is now diversifying into infrastructure.
The Chandra promoted Rs 35 billion Essel Group has made a bid for modernization of Delhi and Mumbai airports. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) had recently sought an expression of interest from parties concerned.
When contacted Ashish Kaul, vice-president, Corporate Brand Development Essel Group, confirmed the development and said, “The Essel Group has submitted an expression of interest to the AAI through our group company Pan India Paryatan Limited.
Pan Indian Paryatan manages the largest and the popular theme parks under the brand name of Essel World and Water Kingdom. We are partnering with the TAV Group of Turkey for this, Kaul said. The TAV group operates the Istanbul, Ankara and Tehran international airports.
When asked about this diversification into infrastructure management, Kaul said,” Essel Group has been associated with diverse businesses and we have been looking at diversifying and developing the theme parks with international recreational facilities and with the objective of developing India as one of the most sought-after tourist destinations in the world.
This is the first phase of the process of awarding this major contract, which has opened with nine other interested companies submitting an expression of interest as a prerequisite to graduate to the second stage where these pre- qualified companies will be privy to all the details of the scope of work and financials.
Essel group has a vast range of national and global business interest, encompassing media programming, broadcasting and distribution, packaging, entertainment, telecom and trading, having close synergies with ventures active in the areas of content distribution/ reach and infrastructure/ logistics.
Some of the companies that Essel Group promotes are Zee Telefilms Limited, Essel Propack, Pan India Paryatan, Dish TV, Asian Sky Shop, Agrani Group.
News Broadcasting
Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.
