India: Government Mulls Limits for Foreign Broadcasting Investment – Official

Text of report by Indian newspaper The Asian Age website on 19 March

New Delhi, 18 March: The government is considering revising the foreign investment limits in various sub-sectors of broadcasting, according to Ms Asha Swarup, secretary, Union [federal] Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

However, no changes are proposed in the 26-per-cent limit on FDI [foreign direct investment] in news and current affairs channels and 49-per-cent ceiling for cable operators.

Ms Swarup stated this while delivering the keynote address at the first India Satellite Forum, organized by the Cable And Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (CASBAA).

Ms Swarup said that the government is of the view that the composite limits for FDI and FII [Foreign Institutional Investment], both direct and indirect, can be kept at 74 per cent in the case of infrastructure and platform services like teleports, DTH [Direct To Home], HITS [Hypertext-Induced Topic Selection] and satellite radio. In the case of non-news and current affairs channels, 100-per-cent foreign investment is already permitted under the downlinking policy.

Originally published by The Asian Age website, Delhi, in English 19 Mar 08.

(c) 2008 BBC Monitoring South Asia. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.