News Broadcasting
Zee moves application to restructure news uplinking operations
MUMBAI: Zee Telefilms, which had been set a deadline of 26 March by the information & broadcasting ministry to comply with the revised guidelines for news and current affairs issued last year, has filed the necessary application.
The application to restructure its news uplinking operations was submitted to the I&B ministry on 10 March.
The revised guidelines for news channels, announced on 26 March 2003, say that any news channel wishing to uplink from India can attract a total of 26 per cent foreign investment. The operative word is ‘TOTAL’.
This means that the law has done away with ambiguities and is saying that including FDI, NRI/OCB/FII investment, the sectoral cap cannot exceed 26 per cent.
While details of how it is going about the restructure process were not provided in the statement issued by the company today, an option before Zee Telefilms (the total foreign holding is 64.06 per cent at the moment) is to form another company and spin of all operations of Zee News there. A structure similar to Star News, which is looked after and managed by Media Content & Communications Services India Pvt. Ltd. (MMCS) that itself is a joint venture between a dominant Indian partner (ABP group holding 74 per cent) and Hong Kong-based Star group, holding the remaining equity.
How could this work? Hypothetically, a joint venture company with dominant (up to 74 per cent equity stake) Indian partner can be formed in which Zee Telefilms can hold up to 26 per cent equity stake, if a foreign partner(s) is not found.
The exact details of the restructure should be known soon enough so stay tuned for that.
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.
