India’s pay-TV base drops 13.8% as broadcasters seek Trai pricing relief
India’s ₹60,000-crore TV business is under pressure as pay-DTH subscribers fell from 56.92 million in March 2025 to 49.05 million in March 2026. Broadcasters and distribution platforms are seeking regulatory forbearance on channel pricing and packaging.
The development
India’s ₹60,000-crore television broadcasting industry faces regulatory uncertainty as pay-DTH subscribers fell from 56.92 million in the quarter ended March 2025 to 49.05 million in the quarter ended March 2026. Broadcasters and DPOs seek pricing and packaging forbearance from Trai.
The numbers
- ₹60,000-crore
- 56.92 million
- March 2025
- 49.05 million
- March 2026
Why it matters to operators and investors
India’s sharp pay-TV subscriber decline raises distribution and advertising-reach risks for retailers targeting mass audiences, making connected TV, digital video and regional media mixes more important.
What to watch next
- Trai consultation outcomes or orders on channel pricing, network capacity fees, bouquet formation and regulatory forbearance.
- Quarterly DTH subscriber disclosures, churn rates and ARPU trends at major distribution platforms.
- Growth in DD Free Dish capacity, free-to-air channel additions and viewership share.
- Broadcaster decisions to shut channels, consolidate portfolios, alter sports-rights strategies or launch new streaming bundles.
- Connected-TV penetration, ad-supported OTT viewing and advertising-rate trends during major cricket and festive-season programming.
The counter-case
The headline may overstate the sector’s distress: a 13.8% fall in pay-DTH subscribers does not necessarily equal a comparable collapse in India’s total pay-TV audience or broadcaster revenue. DTH losses could reflect migration to cable, IPTV, bundled broadband/video offerings, account clean-ups, or lower-quality subscriber reporting rather than outright cord-cutting. Regulatory pricing forbearance could also backfire by enabling higher channel prices, accelerating consumer migration to free-to-air and streaming platforms.