News Broadcasting
Globecast and PSSI Global Services announce expanded international media services collaboration
Los Angeles: Globecast, the global solutions provider for media, announces that it’s partnering with PSSI Global Services, provider of comprehensive event, transmission and connectivity solutions, to enhance media distribution and contribution services for its customers. These include global distribution of news and sporting events, US teleport backup services, and expanded international programming in the US.
As part of the deal, Globecast has acquired the Galaxy 19 international channel business from PSSI, which includes three Ku-band satellite transponders and associated customers. This arrangement augments Globecast’s already extensive Galaxy 19 suite of customers and increases Globecast’s commitment to the international channel market by 60 percent. PSSI’s International Teleport will work with Globecast to provide services to the Galaxy 19 customer community as part of this project.
The partnership will also enhance services for customers needing international contribution and distribution of news and sporting events: Globecast will utilize PSSI’s International Teleport and PSSI’s industry-leading fleet of SNG vehicles.
"We’ve worked with Globecast a great deal over the years and when it came to looking at altering the emphasis of our business, expanding and solidifying this relationship made perfect sense for both companies. We are already seeing the benefits,” said Robert Lamb, CEO, PSSI.
Globecast and PSSI previously worked together on the distribution of live events produced by PSSI/Strategic Television. This new deal will expand the international distribution opportunities for both companies and further positions Globecast as the leader in satellite-delivered transnational television programming.
The Galaxy 19 deal closed in July, with PSSI’s International teleport continuing to provide operational support to customers and Globecast, while Globecast’s Culver City Media Center will now support PSSI’s International Teleport with additional products and services.
Eddie Ferraro, Managing Director, the Americas, Globecast, commented, “This is a great deal for both Globecast and PSSI. While we continue to expand our Galaxy 19 business, we are excited about the additional products and services we can provide, building on our respective East and West Coast presence. Our international contribution/distribution partnership is also delivering immediate customer benefits through formalizing our longstanding relationship.”
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.
