Applications
No shortage of transponders for communications
NEW DELHI: The government today denied any shortage of capacity in transponders for communications, with minister of state in the prime minister’s office Prithviraj Chavan reiterating that a total of 199 transponders were available in the satellites already launched. Answering a question in Parliament, he said ‘We can give transponders to anybody who wants – for TV or for communication services.” |
He added: ‘We hope to have a total capacity of about 500 transponders by the end of the 11th Plan. So, there will be no shortage of any communication satellite capability. We will launch about 12 new communication satellites in the 12th Plan. Currently we have nine communication satellites orbiting, which are providing services to everybody, and we have seven remote sensing satellites for imaging applications and earth observation applications.’ |
| The minister admitted that India still did not have the capability to launch heavier communication satellite. ‘With the availability of GSLV Mk-III Rocket, which is being readied, we would be able to launch any such type of satellites from India. Right now, we are using French Guyana for launching heavier satellites.’ |
Applications
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.
