New Delhi: The Central government on Monday announced a 26 percent hike in advertisement rates for print media and introduced a premium for colour advertisements, aiming to strengthen the sector amid rising costs and growing competition from digital platforms.

As per the revised structure, black-and-white advertisement rates for newspapers with a circulation of one lakh copies have been increased from Rs 47.40 to Rs 59.68 per sq. cm. The government has also accepted the committee’s recommendations on offering premium rates for colour ads and preferential placement, the Information & Broadcasting Ministry said in a statement.

The ministry noted that higher government ad rates will provide crucial revenue support to newspapers, helping them sustain operations, maintain quality journalism, and promote local news coverage at a time when input costs—particularly newsprint—have surged.

Strengthening financial stability, the statement added, will enable print media organisations to invest in better content and continue serving the public interest effectively.

The Central Bureau of Communication (CBC), the nodal agency for government publicity across media platforms, last revised print advertisement rates in January 2019 based on the recommendations of the 8th Rate Structure Committee, with the rates valid for three years.

To review the structure afresh, the 9th Rate Structure Committee, chaired by AS&FA (I&B), was set up on November 11, 2021. Between November 2021 and August 2023, the committee engaged with major associations representing small, medium and large newspapers—including the Indian Newspaper Society (INS), All India Small Newspapers Association (AISNA), and Small-Medium-Big Newspapers Society (SMBNS).

The panel examined key cost factors such as WPI inflation in newsprint, imported newsprint prices, wage costs, general inflation trends, and other production-related expenses before submitting its recommendations on September 23, 2023.

According to the government, the upward revision of advertisement rates brings print media compensation closer to market realities and acknowledges its continued relevance in a diversified media ecosystem. The move, it added, will help improve the reach and effectiveness of government communication efforts across the country.

Last Updated:November 17, 2025, 17:39 IST

India’s exports in October 2025 fall 11.8 per cent to $34.38 billion, while imports jump 16.63 per cent to $76.06 billion.

Amid the recent surge in bullion prices globally, India’s gold imports in October 2025 jumped to $14.72 billion as against $4.92 bn recorded in the same month last year, according to the official data released on Monday.

India’s exports in October 2025 fell 11.8 per cent to $34.38 billion, according to the data. Imports jumped 16.63 per cent to $76.06 billion. Imports surged due to increased shipments of gold and silver. The country’s trade deficit stood at $41.68 billion during the month.

The country’s exports to the United States declined to $6.3 bn in October as against $6.9 bn registered in the year-ago month, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal told reporters here.

During April-October this fiscal, exports increased marginally by 0.63 per cent to $254.25 billion. At the same time, imports rose 6.37 per cent to USD 451.08 billion, the commerce ministry data showed.

India-US Energy Pact

n an effort to boost India’s energy security, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Monday announced a “historic” deal to import liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from the US. He said India has been diversifying its LPG sourcing.

According to the minister, Indian PSU oil companies have successfully concluded a one-year deal for imports of around 2.2 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of LPG from the US Gulf Coast for the contract year 2026.

This represents nearly 10% of India’s annual LPG imports and is the first structured US LPG contract for the Indian market.

“A historic first! One of the largest and the world’s fastest-growing LPG market opens up to the United States. In our endeavour to provide secure affordable supplies of LPG to the people of India, we have been diversifying our LPG sourcing. In a significant development, Indian PSU oil companies have successfully concluded a 1-year deal for imports of around 2.2 MTPA LPG, close to 10% of our annual imports – for the contract year 2026, to be sourced from the US Gulf Coast- the first structured contract of US LPG for the Indian market,” Puri said in a post on X.

(With PTI Inputs)

Mohammad Haris

Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to personal finance, markets, economy and companies. Having over a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris h…Read More

Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to personal finance, markets, economy and companies. Having over a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris h… Read More

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Dubai’s biennial Air Show opened on Monday with a headline announcement from hometown carrier Emirates, which placed a $38-billion order for 65 Boeing 777-9 aircraft, reinforcing its push to expand long-haul capacity amid record earnings and rising traffic through the city’s East-West hub, AP reported.The new order takes Emirates’ total commitment for the upcoming 777-9 to 270 aircraft, cementing its position as Boeing’s largest customer for the wide-body jet, even as the programme faces repeated delays. The agreement also includes GE Engines, bundled into the total deal value.Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, chairman and chief executive of Emirates, described the purchase as a vote of confidence in the long-term partnership with Boeing and GE.“It’s a long-term commitment that supports hundreds of thousands of high-value factory jobs, and it reinforces our 40-year partnership with Boeing and GE,” he said. Emirates remains the world’s largest operator of the Boeing 777 fleet, all powered by GE engines.Sheikh Ahmed said he expected Emirates to remain the biggest 777 operator “for the years to come”, adding that airlines needed larger aircraft to keep pace with global travel growth. He said the carrier looked forward to receiving its first 777-9 from the second quarter of 2027, pointedly glancing at Boeing as he mentioned the date.Boeing Commercial Airplanes president and CEO Stephanie Pope did not specify an entry-into-service timeline but said the jet would “further support Emirates’ mission to connect people and places around the globe like never before”.Officials took no questions from the media following the announcement.New deals and regional ordersBoeing also announced a series of additional orders at the event:

Dubai Air Show opens amid booming travel, military interestThe 2025 edition of the Air Show comes as Dubai witnesses unprecedented passenger volumes. Emirates posted $5.2 billion in annual profit last fiscal, while Dubai International Airport continues to lead the world in international passenger traffic.Emirates ordered $52 billion worth of Boeing aircraft at last year’s show. Sister carrier FlyDubai, which operates 95 Boeing 737 variants, is also expected to eye more single-aisle jets as it expands beyond its first wide-body order of 30 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners placed in 2023.Meanwhile, Dubai’s government has unveiled a $35-billion plan to expand Al Maktoum International Airport to five runways and 400 aircraft gates within a decade, creating enormous new fleet requirements for both carriers.The show is also set to showcase renewed interest in flying taxis, alongside strong military participation.Russia’s Rosoboronexport returned with a large pavilion despite Western sanctions. The state arms exporter displayed the Sukhoi Su-57 stealth fighter and the Pantsir-SMD-E air defence system, products gaining fresh attention amid Middle East security concerns.Underscoring ongoing ties, UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan began his tour at the Russian pavilion, viewing a video of a Russian drone strike and later inspecting the cockpit of the Su-57.US Air Force pilots from the 55th Fighter Squadron were also spotted examining the aircraft. When asked whether the F-16s could shoot it down, one pilot smiled and replied: “It looks cool.”