The Adani Group, one of India’s largest conglomerates, has made a significant move to strengthen its presence in the media sector by acquiring a 50.5% stake in the news agency Indo-Asian News Service (IANS)¹²³. The acquisition was carried out by AMG Media Networks Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Adani Enterprises¹²³, the flagship company of the Adani Group.

The Adani Group has acquired a 50.5% stake in IANS, India’s largest independent news service. Learn more about the reasons, implications, and consequences of this major move in the media sector.

What is IANS?

IANS is India’s largest independent news service, providing news, features, and analysis to over 200 media outlets in India and abroad⁴. Founded in 1986, IANS covers a wide range of topics, including politics, business, sports, entertainment, health, and culture. IANS also has a strong presence in the digital media space, with its own website, mobile app, and social media platforms.

Why did Adani Group acquire IANS?

The acquisition of IANS by the Adani Group is part of its strategy to diversify its business interests across various sectors and expand its footprint in the media sector¹. The Adani Group, led by billionaire Gautam Adani, has been eyeing entry into the media space for the past few months. In September last year, it hired veteran journalist Sanjay Pugalia to lead its media company, Adani Media Ventures.

The Adani Group has also made other acquisitions in the media sector in the recent past. In 2022, Adani Enterprises announced its foray into the media business by acquiring an unspecified minority stake in Quintillion Business Media Ltd⁵, which operates business news digital media platform BQ Prime. It then acquired a 49% stake in NDTV, one of India’s leading news channels, in 2023⁶. The Adani Group also owns a 74% stake in Mumbai International Airport, which gives it control over the upcoming Navi Mumbai airport, where it plans to set up a media city⁷.

What are the implications of the acquisition?

The acquisition of IANS by the Adani Group has several implications for both the parties involved and the media industry at large. For the Adani Group, the acquisition gives it access to a large and diverse network of media outlets, both in India and abroad, and enhances its credibility and influence in the media sector. The acquisition also allows the Adani Group to leverage its vast resources and business acumen to improve the quality and reach of IANS’s news service and digital platforms.

For IANS, the acquisition provides it with financial stability and growth opportunities, as well as the possibility of synergies with other media entities owned by the Adani Group. The acquisition also enables IANS to benefit from the Adani Group’s expertise and experience in various sectors, such as infrastructure, energy, logistics, and agriculture, and offer more comprehensive and in-depth coverage of these domains.

For the media industry, the acquisition marks the entry of a new and powerful player in the media sector, which could have an impact on the existing media landscape and the dynamics of competition and collaboration among media outlets. The acquisition could also raise some concerns about the editorial independence and diversity of IANS, given the Adani Group’s close ties with the ruling party and its involvement in several controversial projects and legal disputes⁸.

Conclusion

The acquisition of a 50.5% stake in IANS by the Adani Group is a significant milestone in the group’s ongoing expansion in the media sector. The acquisition gives the Adani Group a major stake in India’s largest independent news service, and positions it as a key player in the media industry. The acquisition also has implications for IANS and the media industry, as it could bring both opportunities and challenges for them. It will be interesting to see how this move shapes the future of both the Adani Group and IANS, and how it affects the media sector in India and beyond.