iWorld

Comment: India’s NTP 2018 gets digital makeover but needs complimentary policies

Published

8 years ago

May 8, 2018

Criticism notwithstanding, Indian bureaucratic mandarins—babus as they are referred to in local lingo—do come up with draft policies that are contemporaneous, and at times when it’s least expected. The new digital avatar of the National Telecoms Policy 2018, slated to be operational later this year, could turn out to be just one such initiative—only if the political masters muster enough courage to push through with the proposed legislation and the will to follow up with complementary policies.

Though surprises are the new norms with this government led by the maverick PM Modi—remember the late evening ‘Mitron’ address to the nation by the premier few years back announcing high denomination currency notes were being made illegal—it caught many napping when the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) posted on its website the draft of the much-awaited National Telecommunications Policy 2018 very late in the evening on Labour Day. So, what?

The first surprise element was that the NTP 2018 had been rechristened National Digital Communications Policy 2018 (NDCP). The aim: put the draft in public domain to seek comments from key stakeholders and citizens, at large. But true to the government style—keeping things fluid—the deadline for comments is yet to be announced.

The renaming of the policy was welcomed by the industry as it converges with the overarching Digital India vision of the present government; hiccups along the way to implementation, notwithstanding. However, such tweaks in the suggestions made by the telecoms and broadcast carriage regulator TRAI goes not only beyond just the nomenclature but also attempts to actualise provisions of the policy.

What’s also important that while the government wants synergies between various organisations and ministries, it gives a thumb down to a TRAI proposal to make it—or any such other body—a converged regulator.

A Truly Digital Communications Policy

For quite some time, it was being felt by the government and industry alike that a specific road map is required to guide India’s successful movement into the emerging digital realm—to truly address the issue of convergence in the telecoms and broadcast services. To spark rapid all-round deployment of digital capable technologies, it is necessary all available mechanisms be looked at in a comprehensive manner; basically, shifting the focus from just wired and wireless telephony and broadband and expanding the horizons to areas such as satellite communications and broadcast carriage services.

The industry had been demanding that already existing infrastructure assets in sectors such as broadcast and power be utilised to efficiently achieve a demanding goal of laying down high speed fibre infrastructure across India. Thus, a digital-centric telecommunications policy was required to address the crucial aspect of infrastructure sharing and integration.

Furthermore, to firmly strengthen India’s position in the digital sphere, it is necessary that the web-hosting ecosystem, including data storage, be strengthened by implementing norms and standards that are in conformity with international best practices. This gains importance with increasing reports and instances of data breaches and leaks. Also, core principles such as separation of content/applications and infrastructure/carriage layer underlying network neutrality need to be crystallised and affirmed through statutory and policy provisions.

The present draft NTP 2018—or isn’t it better to call it from now on NDCP 2018? —has taken into account many concerns and challenges and seems like an earnest effort on the part of the government to ensure that India’s broadband and digital sectors are backed by sound policy norms and principles.

Has DoT Planned Well for India’s Digital Future?

The DoT has gone ahead and staked its claim to the entire swathe of telecommunications technologies and the methodologies through which government’s digital goals can be rapidly deployed, e-governance included. Now, this could turn out to be an asset as also a weakness, given inter-departmental politics and power play.

DoT has called for an overhaul of India’s archaic satcom policy in line with international standards and also advocated for greater participation by private players in commercial satellite operations — a vision that needs to be matched with some liberalisation at Department of Space (DoS) and India’s space agency ISRO, both of which report directly to the Prime Minister’s Office. To spearhead the contribution of private satcom industry in providing broadband to far flung districts, there’s specific mention of opening Ka-band for private use and also for utilisation of high through-put (HTS) satellites.

With a view to reducing burden of laying down fresh wireline fibre infrastructure, there’s clear mention of recommendation for “leveraging existing assets of the broadcasting and power sector to improve connectivity, affordability and sustainability”. This could reduce the tendency of telecom industry to overbuild fibre and brings the vast amounts of broadband-capable digital cable infra created under Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB)’s mandate of digitising cable networks across the country and within the purview of Digital India programme.

DoT has also realised the need to formulate a coherent approach to reap the benefit of technological convergence. It has specifically called for statutory amendments to the vintage Telegraph Act, 1885 for “enabling infrastructure convergence of IT, telecom and broadcasting sectors”. This highlights the department wants to create a defined policy structure for seamless use of all broadband capable infrastructure, irrespective of differences amongst sectors. It also reflects clear intent of DoT to focus only on convergence of infrastructure, rather than convergence of applications/media running on this layer.

Therefore, DoT has focused sharply (and some may say appropriately) only on enabling carriage services and the surrounding digital ecosystem rather than delve into other unrelated areas such as media. No wonder it has called for separation of infrastructure/carriage layer from applications/content layer. Moreover, it has called for recognising the need to uphold the core principles of network neutrality by “amending the licence agreements to incorporate the principles of non-discriminatory treatment of content, along with appropriate exclusions and exceptions as necessary”.

Furthermore, the DoT has gone a step ahead and acknowledged the primacy of principles and objectives contained in the National IPR Policy related to telecommunications and sought implementation to kick start development of indigenous IPRs.

The Road to the Final Draft

Though the industry, by and large, has welcomed the draft policy as it gears itself to fulfil the call for the now highly debatable “USD 100 billion” in investments, there are a few asks that still need to be fulfilled. The investment aspect itself is ambitious given the present health of the telecoms sector where a big downside of the business is the pink slips presently being handed out by telcos, big and small.

Another important aspect would be to simplify and streamline all departmental procedures such as windowing of satellite frequencies by the WPC, a part of the DoT, which has been a bottleneck in improving ease of doing business in satcom and broadcasting sectors.

Given that the DoT has already referred to National IPR Policy for the purpose of all IPRs, including patents, trademarks and copyrights, related to telecommunications, it is vital that it settles the debate between carriage and content industries once and for all and pursues the goal of harmonisation of telecom policy construct with the applicable domestic and international IPR regimes.

The key would be to now take all the constructive inputs from the industry and iron out the remaining creases to create an effective implementation framework to turn India into a truly digitally empowered society.

While we debate the National Digital Communications Policy 2018, it would be worthwhile to go back into history and attempt reading the Communications Convergence Bill that was introduced in Parliament in 2001. A real visionary piece of draft legislation, the policy was considered so futuristic at that point of time that a joint parliamentary committee red flagged it at 70-odd places, which effectively sounded the death knell for the proposed legislation that was aimed at promoting and developing the entire communications sector—encompassing the broadcasting, telecom and multimedia sectors—keeping in view emerging convergence of techs and services. Drafted by eminent jurist Fali S Nariman-headed panel, the draft still remains as one of the finest pieces of convergence regulations that never saw the light of the day.

In the end, one cannot but agree with lawyer-researcher at India’s Centre for Internet and Society Anubha Sinha’s observations. Writing for The Wire, an online news venture, Sinha highlighted: “While the policy [NTP 2018/NDCP 2018] is broad and forward-looking, the true intent and meaning of the listed steps will only be understood when complementary legislative and granular policy actions to support these strategies are crystallised. That will make all the difference.”

iWorld

Cheekatilo shines in the dark with record debut on Prime Video

A crime thriller steps out of the shadows as Telugu storytelling claims centre stage.

Published

1 month ago

February 9, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: Sometimes, the darkest stories travel the farthest. Prime Video’s latest Telugu original Cheekatilo has done exactly that, clocking a record-breaking launch week and emerging as the most-streamed south original movie on the platform during its debut period.

Premiering worldwide on January 23, the edge-of-the-seat crime suspense trended at the top through its opening weekend and reached viewers across 89 per cent of India’s pin codes, underlining its rare ability to cut across regions, languages and viewing habits. The performance marks a significant milestone for Prime Video’s south originals slate, reflecting the rising national appetite for tightly written, character-driven narratives.

Beyond the numbers, Cheekatilo’s success highlights a broader shift in audience preferences. The strong engagement around the film points to the growing demand for female-led storytelling, with viewers gravitating towards grounded, intense narratives rooted in real-world settings. The film’s national traction reinforces the idea that language is no longer a barrier when the story holds its nerve.

Prime Video India director and head of originals Nikhil Madhok said the response to Cheekatilo reflects the momentum of South Originals and the increasing resonance of bold, genre-driven stories. He noted that the film’s gripping narrative and performances kept audiences hooked from start to finish, strengthening Prime Video’s positioning as a destination for distinctive storytelling with cultural authenticity.

Directed by Sharan Kopishetty and produced by D. Suresh Babu under the Suresh Productions banner, Cheekatilo is written by Chandra Pemmaraju and Kopishetty. The film stars Sobhita Dhulipala as Sandhya, alongside Viswadev Rachakonda, with Chaitanya Visalakshmi, Esha Chawla, Jhansi, Aamani and Vadlamani Srinivas in pivotal roles.

Set against the urban pulse of Hyderabad, the film adds another strong chapter to Prime Video’s expanding catalogue of south originals. With its launch-week dominance and widespread reach, Cheekatilo proves that when storytelling hits the right note, even the darkest tales can command the brightest spotlight.

Gaming

Checkmate Goes Digital as Chess Joins Esports Nations Cup 2026

From boards to bytes, chess readies for a nation-first showdown in Riyadh.

Published

1 month ago

February 9, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: When pawns meet power plays, the game changes. Chess, the world’s oldest mind sport, is officially stepping deeper into the digital arena after the Esports World Cup Foundation confirmed it as one of 16 titles at the inaugural Esports Nations Cup 2026, set to unfold in Riyadh from 2 to 29 November.

For a game synonymous with quiet halls and ticking clocks, this is a bold move. Chess at ENC 2026 promises scale, spectacle and serious competition, fielding an unprecedented 128 players and opening the board to fresh talent and underrepresented nations as the sport’s esports evolution gathers pace.

The chess competition will run from November 2 to November 8, culminating in a playoff final. The opening phase features 128 players split into 16 round-robin groups of eight, with the top four from each group advancing.

That leaves 64 players battling it out in a single-elimination playoff bracket. Early rounds will be best-of-two, while the quarterfinals onward step up to best-of-four encounters. Deadlocks will be settled via Armageddon tie-breakers, and all matches will be played in a Rapid 10+0 format, designed for speed, tension and drama.

National pride is front and centre. Of the 128 slots, 64 players will receive direct invitations based on Champions Chess Tour rankings, limited to one per nation. Another 56 players will qualify through regional online qualifiers, while eight wildcard spots round out the field.

Qualifiers will be hosted by Chess.com across seven regions, including Middle East + India + Central Asia, with two qualifier windows in June 2026. Each country can field a maximum of two players, ensuring both depth and diversity across the draw.

Chess already tasted esports stardom at the 2025 Esports World Cup, where 20 nations were represented and the intensity surprised even purists. The event ended with Magnus Carlsen lifting the title for Team Liquid, sealing chess’s credentials as a natural fit for high-stakes digital competition.

India’s top-ranked player Arjun Erigaisi called the experience “unlike any chess tournament I’ve played before”, adding that the energy of the esports stage is drawing new audiences into the game.

For commentators and fans alike, the shift to a nation-based format raises the stakes. Chessbase India co-founder Sagar Shah likened the moment to the excitement of the Chess Olympiad, while grandmaster and broadcaster Tania Sachdev said the national format adds “pride, pressure and passion” that pulls viewers in deeper.

From silent calculation to roaring crowds, chess at the Esports Nations Cup 2026 is less about moving pieces and more about moving perceptions. Checkmate, it seems, has gone fully digital.

iWorld

Paid panic: how paid posts sparked a child-safety scare in Delhi and Mumbai

Published

1 month ago

February 7, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

A wave of panic swept through Delhi and Mumbai over the past week as viral social media posts claimed a sudden spike in missing and kidnapped children. The alarm bells proved false. Both cities’ police forces issued categorical denials, pointing fingers at paid promotion and rumour-mongering designed to create public hysteria. The twist: fingers are now pointing at Yash Raj Films, accused of orchestrating the scare as guerrilla marketing for Mardaani 3, its upcoming vigilante thriller about child trafficking.

The episode lays bare a darker truth about India’s social media ecosystem. With smartphone penetration soaring and screen time at record highs, paid promotion tools have become weapons of mass hysteria. A few thousand rupees can boost a post to millions of eyeballs within hours. When that post plays on primal fears like child safety, verification becomes an afterthought. Users share first, question later. The result: manufactured crises that feel real until authorities scramble to debunk them.

Delhi Police took to Instagram 23 hours ago with a blunt message: “After following a few leads, we discovered that the hype around the surge in missing girls in Delhi is being pushed through paid promotion. Creating panic for monetary gains won’t be tolerated, and we’ll take strict action against such individuals.” The post, captioned “Facts matter, Fear doesn’t”, made clear the force’s irritation at being dragged into what it views as a manufactured crisis.

Mumbai Police followed suit, issuing a statement denying claims of kidnappings. “Certain social media handles are misrepresenting data and indulging in rumour-mongering regarding cases of missing and kidnapped children. We categorically deny these claims,” the force wrote. It added that FIRs were being registered against those “deliberately spreading false information and creating public panic.”

The misinformation spread with startling effectiveness. Popular Instagram and Twitter accounts, some with hundreds of thousands of followers, shared alarming statistics and anecdotal reports of vanished children, tagging police handles and demanding action. The posts gained traction quickly, amplified by concerned parents and activists. Only when both police forces traced the origin of the claims did the facade crumble: many of the viral posts were boosted through paid promotion, a telltale sign of coordinated astroturfing rather than organic concern.

Enter Yash Raj Films, the 50-year-old production house behind the Mardaani franchise. The series, starring Rani Mukerji as a no-nonsense cop battling human trafficking rings, has built its brand on gritty, socially conscious thrillers. Mardaani 3 is in production, and online chatter swiftly connected the dots between the missing persons panic and the film’s subject matter. Accusations flew: had YRF seeded fake stories to drum up buzz for its vigilante cop sequel?

YRF issued a furious rebuttal. “Yash Raj Films is a 50-year-old company founded on the core principles of being highly ethical and transparent,” a spokesperson said. “We strongly deny the accusations floating on social media that Mardaani 3’s promotional campaign has deliberately sensationalised a sensitive issue like this and we have immense trust in our authorities that they will share all facts and truths in due course of time.”

The denial is categorical, but scepticism lingers. Guerrilla marketing, viral hoaxes masquerading as public service announcements, manipulated data: these are not unheard of in Bollywood’s playbook, though rarely deployed on such a sensitive issue. Child safety is a third rail; exploiting it for box office returns crosses a line even by the industry’s elastic ethical standards.

Yet the evidence tying YRF directly to the posts remains circumstantial. No smoking gun links the production house to the paid promotions flagged by police. What is clear is that someone paid to amplify posts about missing children at precisely the moment a film about missing children was in the public eye. Whether that someone was a rogue marketing agency, an overzealous publicist, or a bad actor with no YRF connection remains murky.

The fallout is reputational. YRF, which has cultivated a family-friendly, socially responsible image across five decades, now finds itself defending against accusations of weaponising child safety fears. The Mardaani franchise, built on the premise of protecting the vulnerable, risks being tarred as exploitative. Rani Mukerji, the face of the series, has yet to comment.

For Delhi and Mumbai police, the episode is a reminder of social media’s double-edged sword. The platforms amplify genuine crises but also manufacture fake ones with alarming ease. Paid promotion tools, designed to help legitimate businesses reach audiences, can just as easily turbocharge hoaxes. Distinguishing signal from noise requires resources and speed that overstretched forces often lack.

India’s social media consumption has exploded. The average urban user now spends over four hours daily on platforms, doom-scrolling through an endless feed of news, gossip and outrage. Algorithms prioritise engagement over accuracy, pushing emotionally charged content to the top. A post about missing children triggers immediate shares; a dry police denial struggles for traction. By the time fact-checkers mobilise, the lie has circled the country thrice.

Paid promotion supercharges this dynamic. For as little as Rs2,000, anyone can boost a post to lakhs of users, targeting specific demographics and geographies. The tools are legitimate, used daily by small businesses and political campaigns. But in the wrong hands, they become misinformation missiles. A fabricated crisis about child kidnappings, amplified by paid reach, looks indistinguishable from organic concern. Users see friends sharing it, assume it must be true, and hit repost. The cascade is self-reinforcing.

The broader pattern is troubling. Misinformation thrives on emotional triggers: fear for children, distrust of institutions, calls to action. A viral post claiming kidnappings demands immediate sharing; verifying it feels like wasted time when lives might be at stake. By the time authorities debunk the claims, the damage is done. Panic has spread, trust in institutions has eroded, and the original purveyors of the hoax have vanished into the digital ether.

This is the new normal. Every week brings a fresh panic: contaminated food, imminent disasters, communal violence rumours. Most prove baseless. Yet each one finds traction because social media rewards speed over truth. The infrastructure designed to connect people now excels at frightening them. Platforms profit from the chaos; advertisers pay for eyeballs regardless of whether the content is fact or fiction. The incentives are perverse, and there is no fix in sight.

Whether YRF is guilty or merely collateral damage in a misinformation campaign will depend on what authorities uncover in their investigations. The production house insists it has “immense trust” that police will reveal the truth. If that truth exonerates YRF, the studio will still carry the stain of association. If it implicates them, Mardaani 3 will enter cinemas under a cloud that no amount of box office success can dispel.

For now, the message from both police forces is unambiguous: there is no surge in missing children, the panic was engineered, and those responsible will face consequences. Parents can exhale. Social media users might want to pause before hitting share. And Bollywood’s marketers, ethical or otherwise, have been put on notice: weaponising fear for profit will not go unpunished.

Paid promotion supercharges this dynamic. For as little as Rs 2,000, anyone can boost a post to lakhs of users, targeting specific demographics and geographies. The tools are legitimate, used daily by small businesses and political campaigns. But in the wrong hands, they become misinformation missiles. A fabricated crisis about child kidnappings, amplified by paid reach, looks indistinguishable from organic concern. Users see friends sharing it, assume it must be true, and hit repost. The cascade is self-reinforcing.