Ashok Bagriya, a journalist and former Legal Editor at Hindustan Times and CNN-News18, has assumed charge as CEO of RT India. The development coincided with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to New Delhi, during which he formally launched RT’s India chapter, described as the network’s largest foreign venture.
Bagriya has overseen the establishment of RT India’s new office, which includes a studio, newsroom and a team of more than 100 staff. The network aims to position itself as a platform for delivering global news to Indian audiences.
On the day of the launch, Bagriya held a closed-door discussion and interview with Herman Gref, CEO and Chairman of Sberbank. Gref announced a $100 million investment to expand the bank’s operations in India, reflecting ongoing economic and trade engagement between Russia and India.
RT India plans to air four daily English-language news programmes, covering India-Russia relations, international developments and issues linked to a multipolar world. The launch follows bans imposed on RT — formerly Russia Today — in several Western countries after the Ukraine conflict and marks a shift in the network’s overseas strategy.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Peskov commented on the launch, saying, “I would like to sincerely congratulate the magnificent RT team and its viewers for launching your broadcast in India. Sometimes it’s better to lose the right to broadcast in the small democracies- so-called democracies- and launch in the biggest one.”
