India upholds foreign media ban

Concern that India's sovereignty would be subverted

The Indian government says it will maintain its ban on foreign investment in the domestic print media.

Information Minister Sushma Swaraj said the concerns that led to the ban being imposed in 1955 were still valid.

Last month, Ms Swaraj had said the government would review the ban, raising hopes that it may be lifted.

At the time she had said that the growth of the internet in India had raised doubts over the policy.

But on Friday she said the government had decided to continue the ban after it considered views expressed recently in a national debate over the issue.

"I have discussed the issue with the prime minister. The old concerns are still valid. The media is just not another sector of trade," she said.

Indian newspapers had complained the move would subvert national sovereignty and lead to foreign groups buying up local papers.

The minister said, however, the government would in the future consider allowing foreign equity in technical magazines or magazines related to research and development.

"The view... is why deprive youngsters from knowledge that can be obtained at a much cheaper rate," Ms Swaraj said.