BBC World Service India to restructure shareholding for FDI norm compliance

BBC World Service India is undergoing a shareholding restructuring, with the British Broadcasting Corp (BBC) aiming to comply with the Indian government’s foreign direct investment (FDI) guidelines, according to a report by The Economic Times (ET). The FDI norms limit foreign holdings in digital news entities to 26 per cent, prompting BBC World Service India to explore options for adhering to these regulations as currently 99.99 per cent owned by the BBC.

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) had capped FDI in digital news at 26 per cent in September 2019. In response to this, the broadcasting ministry issued a notice in November 2020, urging digital news entities with foreign investment exceeding 26 per cent to bring it down by October 15, 2021.