New Delhi, Mar 27: The government on Friday released the TV Ratings Policy 2026, which sets out comprehensive guidelines for regulating television ratings in the country with the aim of ensuring transparency, independence and accountability in audience measurement.

The policy defines clear standards for the registration, operation, audit, and oversight of agencies providing TV rating services, an official statement said.

The TV Rating Policy 2026 replaces the existing guidelines for TV rating agencies in India issued on January 16, 2014. It is available on the website of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB).

Key highlights of the policy include ensuring ease in entry norms and reduction of the net worth requirement for a company willing to register as a TV rating agency from the existing Rs 20 crore to Rs 5 crore.

Strict anti-conflict measures include ensuring neutrality and the policy providing that at least 50 per cent of the board of directors must be independent directors with no ties to broadcasters, advertisers or advertising agencies.

Additionally, agencies have been prohibited from engaging in consultancy roles that could create conflicts of interest.

For enhanced sample size and representative data, agencies must scale up their operations to 80,000 metered homes within 18 months (six months for existing rating agencies), eventually reaching 1,20,000 homes to improve data accuracy.

Measurement must be technology-neutral, capturing data across Cable, DTH, OTT, and connected TVs and the data shall be captured from all the TV viewing screens of the metered homes.

For transparency and privacy, agencies are required to publish their detailed methodology and anonymised data on their websites. Furthermore, all operations must strictly comply with the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023 to safeguard viewer privacy.

To ensure accountability and audits, a dual-audit system has now been made mandatory, featuring quarterly internal audits and annual independent external audits. The I&B ministry will also constitute an audit and oversight team for periodic field inspections.

For grievance redressal, agencies must appoint a nodal officer to resolve complaints within 10 days and establish an appellate authority for escalated disputes.

Under landing page exclusions and disclosure requirements, any viewership arising out of a landing page is not to be counted in the viewership measurement. However, a landing page can be used only as a marketing tool. The broadcasters shall disclose the availability of their channel on the landing page, if any, to the rating agency.

Regarding compliance and penalties, the policy says non-compliance will attract graded penalties, ranging from temporary suspensions of ratings to the cancellation of registration for repeat violations.

On platforms allowed to publish viewership data, it says TV distribution platforms or OTT platforms may publish periodic viewership data of broadcasters or channels being played on their platforms or on their websites without obtaining registration or permission under these guidelines.

Through these measures, the government of India reaffirms its commitment to a fair, competitive and well-governed broadcasting environment that safeguards the stakeholders and public interest, the statement said.

New Delhi, Mar 27: The Indian Navy has successfully completed a key phase of its ‘IOS SAGAR’ initiative, with personnel from 16 friendly foreign countries undergoing intensive harbour training at the Southern Naval Command in Kochi.

The milestone marks a significant step in India’s efforts to strengthen regional maritime cooperation and capacity-building across the Indian Ocean Region, amid evolving security and operational challenges.

The Indian Ocean Region continues to face a range of common threats, including piracy, illegal fishing, trafficking, and natural disasters, along with the need to secure vital sea lanes of communication. Naval officials emphasised that tackling these challenges requires closer coordination, interoperability, and shared operational understanding among regional partners.

Over a two-week period, multinational crews underwent a structured and intensive training programme across premier Indian Navy training institutions. The curriculum included specialised modules such as Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) operations were also part of the programme, equipping participants with practical skills for real-world maritime security scenarios.

A key highlight of the training was the use of modern simulators and advanced infrastructure, allowing trainees to engage in realistic, scenario-based exercises. These hands-on sessions were designed to improve decision-making and operational readiness in complex maritime situations.

The programme combined classroom instruction with practical drills, ensuring a comprehensive learning experience aligned with contemporary naval requirements. Officials noted that the initiative encouraged meaningful exchanges of best practices, while also strengthening trust, teamwork, and camaraderie among international crews.

Following the successful harbour phase, the IOS SAGAR initiative will now move into its next stage, operational deployment. This will include joint exercises at sea and port engagements across the region. Through such collaborative efforts, the Indian Navy aims to contribute to a more secure, stable, and prosperous maritime environment in the Indian Ocean Region.

New Delhi, Mar 27: India has enough petrol, diesel and LPG stocks to last at least two months with normal delivery cycles, the government said on Friday, as it ruled out imposing any lockdown in view of energy supply disruptions caused by the war in West Asia.

India has about 60 days of oil stock cover and has arranged one full month of LPG supply, a government official said, adding that there is no shortage of petrol, diesel, or LPG.

“There is no situation like lockdown. It is not even under consideration,” Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said at a media briefing on the situation arising out of war in West Asia.

She said panic buying and long queues at petrol pumps and LPG distributors in parts have been triggered by misinformation and rumours.

“There is no crisis or shortage,” she said. “We have a sufficient amount of crude oil (raw material to make fuels like petrol and diesel). Our stocks of petrol and diesel are sufficient, and LPG supplies have been ensured.”

All petrol pumps across the country are adequately stocked and operating normally, with no rationing of petrol or diesel.

Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, in a post on X, said while the global situation remains in flux, “all necessary steps are being taken to ensure uninterrupted availability of fuel, energy, and other critical supplies for our citizens”.

“We are fully prepared to handle emerging challenges,” he said.

“Rumours of a lockdown in India are completely false. Let me state this clearly, there is no such proposal under consideration by the Government of India.”

India, he said, has consistently demonstrated resilience in the face of global uncertainties, and the government will continue to act in a timely, proactive, and coordinated manner.

“In such times, it is important that we remain calm, responsible, and united. Attempts to spread rumours and create panic in such a situation are irresponsible and harmful,” he added.

India relies on imports to meet 88 per cent of its crude oil needs, half of its natural gas requirement and 60 per cent of its LPG demand. Half of the crude oil, a third of the gas and 85-90 per cent of LPG came from the Gulf countries through the Strait of Hormuz. The war has effectively shut the strait, leaving importers scrambling for supplies.

India, the world’s third-largest oil-importing and consuming country, has managed to replenish the crude oil volumes lost in the Strait through sourcing from West Africa, Latin America and the US. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is being sourced from Australia and the US to make up for the deficit, while LPG has been contracted from the United States, Russia, and Australia. Also, domestic production of LPG has been raised by 40 per cent by diverting streams used in petrochemicals.

Sharma said the availability is adequate, which has given comfort in raising the allocation of commercial LPG to 70 per cent of the pre-crisis level.

After the crisis, LPG supplies were prioritised for domestic household users, and those for commercial establishments, such as hotels and restaurants, were cut to nil. Commercial supplies were restored to 20 per cent of the requirement and later to 50 per cent while encouraging the users to switch to alternate piped natural gas, whose supply has no such issues.

The allocation has now been raised to 70 per cent with priority being given to key industries, such as steel, automobiles and textiles, she said.

To protect consumers from surging global oil prices, the government cut excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 10 per litre, while imposing export levies of Rs 21.5 per litre on diesel and Rs 29.5 per litre on aviation turbine fuel (ATF) to boost domestic availability.

The government have also mandated refiners to divert 50 per cent of petrol and 30 per cent of diesel exports to the domestic market, Sharma said.

She said panic buying triggered by rumours led to temporary spikes in sales, but stressed that supplies remain adequate and retail outlets are operating normally.

Natural gas supply to households and transport remains fully protected, while industrial supply is being maintained at about 80 per cent of usual levels, with accelerated expansion of city gas infrastructure underway.

The government has stepped up enforcement against hoarding and black marketing, conducting more than 3,000 raids and seizing over 1,500 LPG cylinders, while urging states to intensify monitoring and public communication.

She advised citizens to avoid panic purchases and rely on official information, while encouraging the use of alternative fuels such as piped natural gas and electric cooking solutions.

New Delhi, Mar 27: Precious metal prices dropped up to 5 per cent, with silver plunging by Rs 11,250 to Rs 2.30 lakh per kilogram, while gold declined to Rs 1.47 lakh per 10 grams in the national capital on Friday.

According to the All India Sarafa Association, the white metal slumped Rs 11,250, or nearly 5 per cent, to Rs 2,30,000 per kg (inclusive of all taxes) from Wednesday’s closing level of Rs 2,41,250 per kg.

Bullion markets remained closed on Thursday on account of Ram Navami.

Gold of 99.9 per cent purity depreciated by Rs 1,900, or 1.3 per cent, to Rs 1,47,800 per 10 grams (inclusive of all taxes). The yellow metal had settled at Rs 1,49,700 per 10 grams in the previous market session.

Analysts said bullion prices remained volatile as movements in crude oil and global cues influenced investor sentiment.

In the international markets, spot gold gained USD 37.19, or nearly 1 per cent, to USD 4,416 per ounce while silver was trading 0.23 per cent higher at USD 68.12 per ounce.

The yellow metal climbed to around USD 4,420 per ounce on bargain buying as crude prices weakened, but later pared gains as oil prices in the global markets recovered, Praveen Singh, Head of commodities at Mirae Asset ShareKhan, said.

He added that investors are awaiting upcoming US macroeconomic data, including consumer sentiment and inflation expectations later in the day which is likely to guide bullion prices in the near term.

Srinagar, Mar 27: A delegation comprising several religious bodies in Kashmir on Friday called upon the Iranian ambassador in New Delhi to convey condolences over the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and to express solidarity with the people of the Islamic Republic.

The delegation of the Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU) was led by its patron and Kashmir’s chief preacher Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.

“A delegation of Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU) met the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Dr. Mohammad Fathali, and other officials in New Delhi today,” the office of the Mirwaiz said in a statement.

It said the delegation conveyed heartfelt condolences on the “martyrdom of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his family members and other leadership and expressed deep solidarity with the people of Iran in their hour of invasion and hardship”.

“On behalf of the people of Kashmir, the delegation stated that the martyrdom of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the prominent and respected leader of the Muslim Ummah, has deeply saddened them,” the statement said.

The delegation expressed serious concern and condemned the ongoing war imposed on Iran by Israel and the United States, and expressed hope that diplomatic efforts will prevail to bring “an end to this aggression, restoring peace and stability”.

The US and Israel launched a joint attack on Iran on February 28 and the retaliation by the Islamic nation extended the war to the entire Gulf region.

The US-Israel attack killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The joint strikes came after days of build-up, with US President Donald Trump ramping up the pressure on Tehran to agree to a new deal on its nuclear programme.

The conflict has also taken a major toll on energy supply chains, especially across the Strait of Hormuz.

Meanwhile, the delegation also highlighted the deep-rooted cultural, historical and religious ties between Kashmir and Iran, noting that Kashmir has long been referred to as “Iran-e-Sagheer” (little Iran), reflecting the enduring bonds between the two peoples, the statement said.

The MMU delegation reiterated that unity, steadfastness and collective prayers for peace are “the need of the hour for the ummah to face these challenges”, it added.