Mumbai, India’s television-distribution industry has urged the central government to introduce technology-neutral regulations that apply comparable rules to services delivered through direct-to-home platforms, cable networks and the internet.
The demand comes as the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting finalises an authorisation framework under the Telecommunications Act. The ministry published the draft Telecommunications (Television, Radio and Associated Services) Rules, 2026, on June 12 for public consultation. The proposed framework seeks to replace multiple legacy broadcasting guidelines with a consolidated authorisation regime.
Although private DTH operators have not yet formally submitted their responses to the draft rules, industry executives reportedly intend to seek comparable financial, licensing and compliance obligations across television-delivery technologies. Their concerns broadly align with submissions made by the All India Digital Cable Federation.
Private DTH companies currently face annual authorisation fees, bank-guarantee requirements, mandatory carriage obligations and other compliance conditions. Industry representatives argue that competing services, including application-based linear television distribution and free ad-supported streaming television channels, remain outside the proposed framework. DD Free Dish also does not face obligations comparable to those imposed on private DTH providers, while cable operators continue to be regulated separately under the Cable Television Networks Act.
Industry executives contend that viewers increasingly consume the same linear channels across satellite, cable and internet services, making platform-specific regulation less appropriate. They have warned that excluding certain delivery technologies from comparable obligations could create opportunities for regulatory arbitrage and place licensed operators at a competitive disadvantage.
DTH operators are also expected to seek the implementation of pending recommendations from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. These include reducing the annual authorisation fee from 8% to 3% of adjusted gross revenue, lowering bank-guarantee requirements and introducing a narrower definition of gross revenue. The industry has also sought greater clarity regarding the government’s auditing powers.
The demand comes amid pressure on India’s pay-television market. The country’s private DTH subscriber base has declined from more than 62 million to approximately 49 million over two years. According to the FICCI-EY Media and Entertainment Report 2026, linear television-distribution revenue fell 8% to ₹35,400 crore in 2025, as 11.5 million households stopped paying for television services.
TRAI has completed consultations concerning internet-based linear television and FAST services and is expected to submit its recommendations to the ministry. The government has not yet finalised the new rules.
