NDTV's Independent Director and Board Chairman Upendra Kumar Sinha on Friday outlined a cautious view of the global economy and set out the company's strategy for navigating a rapidly changing media landscape.
"The world economy, which had demonstrated commendable resilience through successive shocks, now confronts a more complex and uncertain environment. The outbreak of armed conflict in the Middle East has emerged as a significant new headwind, with the IMF's April 2026 World Economic Outlook projecting that global growth will slow to 3.1 per cent in 2026, down from 3.3 per cent in 2025, assuming the conflict remains limited in scope," Sinha said at the company's 38th Annual General Meeting.
Against this backdrop, Sinha said India was showing notable resilience. "India's real GDP growth for FY 2025-26 is estimated at 7.6 per cent, due to robust domestic consumption, resilient services exports, and a sustained investment cycle across infrastructure and digital connectivity."
He added that the Union Budget FY 2026-27 has further enhanced this momentum, raising public capital expenditure to Rs. 12.2 lakh crore, a transformative investment reshaping infrastructure, logistics, urban development, and the digital economy.
Journalism Under Pressure In A World At War
Sinha said 2025 had recorded the highest number of active state-based conflicts since the Second World War, according to the Institute for Economics and Peace, placing extraordinary demands on news organisations.
He cited UNESCO figures showing that more than 310 journalists were killed between 2022 and September 2025, with the count rising sharply in active war zones.
Despite this, Sinha said conflict also produced journalism's most important moments, as audiences overwhelmed by social media, propaganda and synthetic content turned to trusted outlets. "In a world where misinformation travels at the speed of algorithms, verified journalism is not a service, it is a necessity," he said.
He said NDTV teams had reported from Israel, including the streets and shelters of Tel Aviv, from Tehran and other locations in Iran, and from Lebanon. They had also covered the conflict from centres of diplomatic activity in the United States and Iran.
Sinha said that the global media industry is undergoing a profound transformation as audiences embrace digital-first consumption. Despite this, he said, television remains a formidable medium, particularly in news and current affairs, retaining its unmatched ability to shape national discourse and deliver credible information to diverse audiences
"For news organisations, this transformation presents both opportunity and responsibility. Audiences now demand immediacy, accuracy, and deeper context across multiple platforms. Sustaining relevance requires a seamless blend of editorial integrity with modern distribution capabilities," he said.
Rights Issue Oversubscribed
On the financial side, Sinha said NDTV had in October 2025 completed a rights issue that raised Rs 396.50 crore at Rs 82 per share, at an entitlement ratio of 3:4. The issue was oversubscribed 1.11 times, which he described as a reflection of shareholder confidence.
He said the proceeds had been fully utilised without any deviation from stated objectives. Rs 229 crore went towards repaying debt, Rs 71 crore was directed towards strategic initiatives, including distribution, marketing and intellectual property development, and Rs 96.5 crore was used for general corporate purposes.
The debt reduction, he said, had materially strengthened the company's balance sheet, bringing annual interest costs down from over Rs 21 crore to under Rs 2 crore.
"We also broadened our international footprint, extending the company's presence across key global markets and amplifying the voice of Indian journalism worldwide. Editorial and business leadership was further reinforced with the appointment of Mr Rahul Kanwal as CEO, bringing seasoned expertise to our newsroom," Sinha said.
"Our integrated content infrastructure, combining broadcast operations with advanced digital workflows, content management systems, and production networks, enables us to deliver news seamlessly across formats and geographies," he added.
On artificial intelligence, he said the company's approach was to use AI to improve efficiency and audience engagement without compromising editorial standards. "Verification, accountability, and human editorial judgement remain central," he said.
New Events Vertical Launched
Sinha announced the launch of a new events vertical under the brand NDTV Good Times, which he said would extend the company into lifestyle, travel, food, culture and live entertainment. He said the platform had already hosted cultural and entertainment events, drawing large audiences.
"In an era where artificial intelligence, synthetic media, and information overload challenge public confidence, trust has become the defining currency of journalism," he said.
He closed by saying the company's focus remained on deepening its technological capabilities, expanding digital reach, improving production infrastructure and integrating data-driven insights, while maintaining its commitment to credible journalism.
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