India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has abolished the 12-minute-per-hour advertising restriction for TV broadcasters, signalling a significant policy shift driven by market growth and ongoing legal disputes, with the step aimed at balancing commercial flexibility and viewer protection.
India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has removed the 12-minute-per-hour advertising cap for television channels, a sharp policy reversal just months after courts upheld the restriction. The change, announced on 14 August 2026, will take effect once the formal amendment to the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994, is notified in the Gazette of India. According to the government, the move reflects the scale of a television market that has expanded from 62 channels in 2006 to more than 900 in 2026.
The cap had limited advertising to 12 minutes in each hour of broadcast time and was originally brought in after 2006. It applied within the regulatory framework governing cable television in India, which also covers major distribution systems such as direct-to-home, digital cable, Headend-In-The-Sky and Internet Protocol Television. In many markets, these platforms now carry hundreds of channels, intensifying competition for audience share and advertising revenue.
The decision comes after a legal backdrop that had favoured broadcasters’ critics. In May 2026, the Delhi High Court upheld TRAI’s 12-minute ceiling, rejecting arguments that it harmed profitability and constitutional rights. The court said the rule was a valid regulatory measure intended to protect viewers from excessive commercial breaks and to balance private earnings with public interest. The ministry’s latest move appears aimed at giving broadcasters greater commercial flexibility and a more level playing field against digital media, after discussions with a delegation from the News Broadcasters Federation led by Arnab Goswami.
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