Image source: BT, NDTV, Economic Times Legal and Spicy IP; Edited by Dinesh Raj M   The India-UK Free Trade Agreement, signed this July and now entering its implementation phase, marks a rare moment when two mature democracies decide to bet big on shared prosperity instead of protectionism. For both, the pact is more than tariff charts and policy clauses—it’s a statement of strategic trust. Hot off the Press The Hindu Bureau reported that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the deal “the biggest since the UK left the European Union—and arguably the biggest India has ever struck.” Speaking in Mumbai on his first official visit to India, Starmer described the pact as “a launchpad for growth,” pointing out that India is set to become the world’s third-largest economy by 2028. TOI noted that the U.K. will offer duty-free access on 99.1 per cent of its tariff lines, instantly covering the full trade value upon enforcement. Both leaders will meet in Mumbai to r

Financial services journalist Lachlan Maddock- pictured - has been appointed editor of Investment Magazine and will officially start the new position on October 13.  Maddock joined Conexus Financial in February as senior journalist on IM. He was previously Editor of Investor Strategy News and before that cut his teeth as a journalist on financial industry publications IFA and Investor Daily.   He was also a mentee of the late, great journalist and publisher Greg Bright, who died last year and was honoured with a scholarship in his name by the Fund Executives Association Limited, which he helped to establish.   Conexus Financial editor-in-chief Aleks Vickovich said: “When Lachie joined Conexus I told him the brief would be ‘yarns Greg would have liked’, and over the proceeding months, he has not disappointed.”   Vickovich said Maddock had displayed his knowledge of, and passion for, institutional investment through his in-depth analysis of industry developments such

Morning, and welcome to Thursday.  Let's start with The Australian, not least because there are no less than four, yes four, exclusives on its front page. The paper also has two of its favourite topics well covered - the perceived threat from China, and climate change action, and it doubles down on both. And what a great headline that is. Now, remember Scott Morrison? The Oz certainly does and Ben Packham and Joe Kelly share the first exxy with 'Taiwan must not fall', warns Morrison, which rather makes it sound like a conflict has already begun or is imminent. Fear not, there's nothing aside from the normal goings on in the straits between China and Taiwan. Morrison is back in the spotlight - just in case you were wondering - because he was speaking in Taiwan to a defence think-tank. Why him? It's initially something of a mystery, though as we may recall his government did antagonise China over the alleged Covid origin story so there's history between him and our largest

The News Broadcasters Federation (NBF) and the Chennai Press Club condemned the abrupt blackout of Puthiya Thalaimurai News Channel on the Tamil Nadu Arasu Cable TV Network (TACTV), saying the state cable operator has taken the channel off air across Tamil Nadu. Puthiya Thalaimurai has also claimed that its reach has allegedly dropped sharply on TACTV while distribution on private operators and DTH continues. A government response was not available at press time. Haseef Mohamed, Editor-in-Chief at Aransei and Secretary of the Chennai Press Club, said, “TACTV earlier had 50 per cent of the total channels connected, but over time, there has been a significant dip to about 20–30 per cent, which is quite considerable. Apart from this, there are private players and DTH operators. When it comes to the government cable network, such tactics are not new. This has been happening for the past 15 years.” He added context on the evolution of state and private cable in Tamil Nadu. “The

Prasar Bharati has invited proposals to onboard a Project Management Unit (PMU) for its OTT platform, WAVES, which has crossed 3.8 million downloads and 2.3 million registered users since its launch in November 2024. The move is aimed at positioning WAVES among the leading OTT platforms globally and making it the most preferred digital platform in the country. The proposed PMU will provide strategic, operational and analytical support across content, technology, marketing, user acquisition, and monetisation. It will focus on scaling user growth, building diversified revenue streams and ensuring long-term sustainability. Prasar Bharati’s goal is to reach over 10 million registered users within a year of the PMU’s engagement and achieve financial sustainability within two years. The PMU will oversee content strategy, marketing, analytics, distribution and partnerships, while also coordinating with internal teams for regular performance tracking and governance. It will work closel

Even as private broadcasters renew calls for a level playing field in the distribution space, Prasar Bharati has clarified that DD Free Dish will remain non-addressable by design, staying true to its public service mandate. According to BestMediaInfo.com, Gaurav Dwivedi, CEO, Prasar Bharati, said the non-addressable nature of DD Free Dish is a conscious policy choice, not a technical limitation. “Addressability was kept out of the system under a Cabinet decision in the early 2000s. The biggest factor in favour of keeping it non addressable is access”. Dwivedi explained that introducing addressability, even at zero cost, creates friction and limits reach. “Our job is to make content accessible to the last viewer in the country. The role of a public service broadcaster is to remove barriers, not create them,” he added. He underlined that the platform’s open, unencrypted nature was part of the government’s original vision when DD Free Dish was launched in 2004. The aim wa

Image source: NDTV,  Asia Nikkei, ANI News and India News Stream; Edited by Diensh Raj M   In what could mark one of India’s most consequential diplomatic shifts in decades, New Delhi is preparing to host Amir Khan Muttaqi — the Taliban’s Acting Foreign Minister and a UN-sanctioned individual — for a five-day official visit beginning October 9. Just two days before his arrival, India joined the Moscow Format Consultations that, for the first time, recognised Muttaqi as a “member” delegate, with the Taliban’s black-and-white flag placed alongside those of 10 regional nations. The optics — and timing — make clear that India is inching closer to de facto recognition of the Taliban, even as the world remains divided on how to engage with Kabul’s rulers. HOT OFF THE PRESS Suhasini Haidar for The Hindu reported that India’s participation in the Moscow Format marked a subtle but historic turn — not only did the Taliban delegation attend as a full member rather