New Delhi: India’s broadcasting ecosystem continues to witness a robust pay TV presence, with 333 satellite pay TV channels available for downlinking as of March 31, 2025, according to the Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicators report for the January–March 2025 quarter released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on June 19.
Out of a total of 918 private satellite TV channels permitted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), 908 are available for downlinking in India. The remaining channels are either uplink-only or serve other geographies. TRAI’s latest data indicates that of the 908 downlinkable channels, 333 are pay channels, while the rest are Free-to-Air (FTA).
Genre-Wise Distribution of Pay TV Channels
The report provides an in-depth categorisation of the 333 pay channels:
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General Entertainment leads the pack with 104 channels.
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Movies come next with 65 channels.
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News and Current Affairs follow closely with 60 channels.
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Sports have 36 dedicated pay channels.
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Kids genre features 24 channels.
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Infotainment accounts for 23 channels.
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Music has 16 channels.
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Devotional channels total 4, while
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A single channel falls under the Miscellaneous category.
In terms of broadcast quality, 232 of the pay channels are in Standard Definition (SD) and 101 are in High Definition (HD).
Broadcaster Market Share: Star India Dominates
Ownership patterns indicate a highly consolidated landscape. Star India Private Limited leads significantly, commanding 103 out of the 333 pay channels—nearly one-third of all pay offerings in India.
The other major players include:
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Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. – 43 channels
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SUN TV Network Ltd. – 31 channels
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Culver Max Entertainment (Sony) – 23 channels
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Network18 Media & Investment Ltd. – 18 channels
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Zee Media Corporation Ltd. and Discovery Communications India – 14 channels each
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Eenadu Television Pvt. Ltd. – 13 channels
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Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. (Times Network) – 12 channels
Other broadcasters with a more niche presence include Raj Television Network and Kalaignar TV with 6 channels each, Tarang Broadcasting (5), Mavis Satcom, Warner Media India, and Celebrities Management with 4 each, TV Today Network and New Delhi Television Ltd. (NDTV) with 2 channels each, and IN10 Media with 3 channels.
Strategic Implications
The pay TV segment remains a vital component of India’s broadcast economy, even as OTT platforms continue their rise. The dominance of major network groups underlines the increasing consolidation in content distribution. With genre preferences showing a consistent tilt towards entertainment and movie content, broadcasters are likely to align their offerings accordingly.
Looking Ahead
As digital consumption patterns evolve and bundling models emerge across DTH and streaming platforms, the dynamics of pay TV may further shift. However, with over 36% of permitted satellite channels being monetised as pay channels, India’s linear TV ecosystem continues to display resilience and relevance.
Source: TRAI’s “The Indian Telecom Services Performance Indicators January–March 2025” report, released on June 19, 2025.
