Sports
JioStar blocks 420 piracy sites during T20 World Cup
26.11 million downloads hit as Delhi HC order fuels global crackdown
MUMBAI: As the ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup gathers pace, JioStar has tightened the screws on digital piracy, launching a sweeping crackdown on rogue apps and websites illegally streaming its premium cricket coverage.
In recent weeks, the broadcaster has moved against a clutch of illicit IPTV applications accused of siphoning off live World Cup feeds without a licence. Among those removed from the Google Play Store were XCIPTV, Televizo, IPTV Smarters Pro, VU IPTV Player and XTV Ultra IPTV Media Player. In total, 36 infringing applications across Android and iOS ecosystems were taken down, together accounting for more than 26.11m global downloads.
The app-store purge builds on earlier criminal enforcement actions targeting organised piracy networks. Last year, JioStar said it helped dismantle a large-scale IPTV operation serving millions of users worldwide.
Acting under a dynamic injunction granted by the Delhi High Court, JioStar has suspended 141 piracy websites globally during the tournament, disrupting an estimated 12.2 million instances of infringing traffic. A further 279 websites carrying unauthorised streams, with more than 2m in combined traffic, have been blocked at the ISP level under the same order.
Beyond domain suspensions and app removals, the company’s anti-piracy team acted in real time against 15 additional third-party applications, denting an estimated 11.5 million piracy-driven traffic instances. The strategy is blunt: choke off illegal supply and funnel viewers back to JioStar’s official platforms, including JioHotstar.
With live sport remaining the last bastion of appointment viewing, broadcasters are under mounting pressure to defend broadcast reproduction rights. JioStar’s multi-pronged offensive, spanning courts, code and coordinated takedowns, underscores the high stakes of cricket’s most lucrative tournament.
Sports
SMK becomes first Indian helmet brand in Road to MotoGP championship
Partnership with Moto4 Latin Cup puts the brand on the international racing grid for the first time
NEW DELHI: An Indian helmet maker is stepping onto the global racing grid.
SMK Helmets has partnered the Moto4 Latin Cup as the official technical helmet sponsor, marking the company’s entry into international motorsport. The deal places the brand inside the prestigious Road to MotoGP ecosystem, a global ladder designed to groom young riders for professional circuit racing.
The move makes SMK the first global Indian helmet brand to enter a Road to MotoGP championship, a significant milestone for a company that has built its reputation on helmet engineering and manufacturing.
Riders in the championship will compete wearing SMK’s Titan Carbon Racing helmet, a race-spec model designed specifically for high-speed circuit competition.
The Moto4 Latin Cup forms part of the wider Road to MotoGP programme, which serves as a stepping stone for emerging riders aiming to climb the professional racing ranks. The 2026 season will feature 12 rounds across circuits in Brazil and Argentina, with young riders from across the Americas competing on identical Honda NSF250R race machines.
The championship begins from March 20 to 22 in Goiânia, Brazil, coinciding with the return of the MotoGP Brazilian Grand Prix. The series provides a professional platform for young racers to gain experience on international circuits and pursue what organisers call the “road to the dream”.
Backed by more than five decades of helmet manufacturing expertise, SMK is now extending its focus on safety and performance to the demands of the racing grid, where speed and precision leave little room for compromise.
Under the partnership, competing riders will be equipped with the Titan Carbon Racing helmet, built around a lightweight carbon-fibre shell and a race-oriented interior configuration. The helmet is ECE 22.06 certified and engineered to deliver protection, aerodynamic stability and comfort at racing speeds.
The design reflects modern racing priorities, combining lightweight construction, aerodynamic efficiency and rider-focused ergonomics.
The collaboration is also part of SMK’s longer-term strategy to expand its presence in international motorsport while advancing helmet technology through real-world racing insights.
Racing environments generate valuable data on aerodynamics, ventilation, stability and rider comfort at extreme speeds. Feedback from riders competing in the championship will feed directly into SMK’s ongoing helmet development programme.
“Motorsport represents the highest expression of performance, precision and human ambition,” said Shilpa Arora, head of global sales at SMK Helmets.
“For SMK, supporting the Moto4 Latin Cup is more than a sponsorship. It reflects our long-term commitment to rider safety and innovation,” Arora said.
Sidhartha Khurana, managing director and chief executive at SMK, said the company views racing as a crucial testbed for technology.
“As one of the world’s largest helmet manufacturers by volume, with over five decades of expertise, we believe racing plays an important role in advancing helmet technology,” Khurana said.
“These young athletes represent the future of the sport, and we are proud to stand beside them as they pursue their dreams. The insights gained through racing environments will continue to strengthen the technology that ultimately protects riders on roads across the world.”
Manufactured in India and sold across global markets, SMK’s entry into competitive racing also highlights the rising international recognition of Indian helmet engineering.
From factory floors in India to high-speed racing circuits in Latin America, the company is betting that the road to MotoGP can also become a road to global credibility.
