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DIPP proposes FDI hike in cable, DTH sector
NEW DELHI: The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion has given a thumbs up for uniform foreign direct investment (FDI) in broadcast carriage services sector, including cable TV and direct-to-home.
The DIPP, which functions under the Industry Ministry, has circulated a draft cabinet note which also includes raising overseas investments limits according to suggestions given by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai).
The note has been sent to different ministries, including Home Affairs, Information and Broadcasting, Law, Finance, and Department of Telecommunications. The note will have to be approved by these Ministries before it can be sent to the cabinet.
The draft note wants the FDI limits in the broadcast carriage services sector such as cable TV, DTH and Headend-In-The-Sky (HITS) to be made uniform.
This will meant a major increase in the FDI cap in the distribution platforms from 49 per cent to 74 per cent and also enforce a uniform FDI cap across various carriage platforms like DTH, IPTV, Mobile TV, HITS and cable companies. At present, 49 per cent FDI is allowed in cable TV and DTH, while it is 74 per cent in HITS.
In June last year, Trai had made suggestions to raise FDI for
broadcast carriage services like DTH to 74 per cent. The broadcast sector regulator had also recommended reducing the FDI cap for analogue cable firms from 49 per cent to 26 per cent, but the I&B Ministry did not agree.
Under the proposal, there is also provision for putting 49 per cent FDI (out of the proposed 74%) on automatic route.
The move is expected to help the media which has been clamouring for more foreign investment, and for several foreign investors including expatriate Indians.
At present the FDI norms for Mobile TV, HITS and IPTV are pegged at 74 per cent and for cable distribution companies at 49 per cent.
The country has about 106 million cable and satellite homes in India, of which 26 million are DTH while 80 million are cable homes. There are 706 TV channels in India.
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
