I&B Ministry
Tikona Digital permitted to bring in over Rs 250 crore as foreign direct investment
NEW DELHI: The Finance Ministry has cleared a proposal of M/s Tikona Digital Networks Pvt Ltd for the issuance of CCDs thereby increasing foreign equity to 76.73%.
This will involve Foreign Direct Investment of Rs 267 crore, according to the approval by the Foreign Investments Promotion Board in its 238th meeting.
The Ministry approved the proposal by Haymarket SAC Publishing (India) Private Limited for the take over the publication of the specialty magazine “Print Week” from Haymarket Media (India) Private Limited, its sister concern as it does not involve any foreign direct investment.
The Ministry deferred decision on a proposal by Quintillion Business Media Private Limited seeking approval for the issuance of equity shares to BLOOMBERG L.P. The investee company is proposed to be engaged inter alia in the uplinking and broadcasting of a business news television channel and operating related digital content platform in India.
It also deferred a proposal by The Financial Times (India) Private Limited for transfer of 99.99% of The Financial Times (India) Private Limited to Falstaff Singapore Pte Ltd, currently held by Pearson, Singapore, for an aggregate consideration of SGD 1; transfer of one share of The Financial Times (India) Private Limited to Falstaff Singapore Pte Ltd, currently held by Pearson, Amsterdam; and transfer of entire shareholding of Falstaff Singapore Pte Ltd to Nikkei Inc, currently held by Pearson, Amsterdam.
The Ministry deferred a proposal by M/s Idea Cellular Infrastructure Services Limited (ICISL) to take on record the increase of foreign investment in ICISL beyond 50% and allow foreign investment in ICISL up to 67.5%.
The Ministry noted that ICISL is a wholly owned subsidiary of IDEA which has become a foreign owned company with more that 50% foreign investment. Accordingly, ICISL is also deemed to have foreign investment in excess of 50% as a mirror image of its parent company.
A proposal by M/s BT Global Communications (Mauritius) Limited to acquire remaining 26% equity and preference share capital of M/s BT Telecom India Private Limited (Investee Company) from M/s Jubilant Stock Holding Private Limited, which will result in increasing its shareholding in the investee company from 74% to 100% was also deferred.
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.
