Veteran journalist Ashok Bagriya has taken charge as CEO of RT India, overseeing the launch of the network’s largest foreign venture. Established during President Vladimir Putin’s visit, the new Delhi-based operation features a fully equipped newsroom, over 100 staff, and four daily English news programmes focused on global and India–Russia affairs.
Ashok Bagriya’s appointment as Chief Executive Officer of RT India marks a defining moment for both the journalist-turned-media executive and the international news network as it deepens its footprint in one of the world’s most complex and closely watched media markets. Taking charge at a time of heightened geopolitical attention, Bagriya assumed leadership of RT India as the Russian broadcaster formally launched its India chapter during President Vladimir Putin’s visit to New Delhi—an alignment of events that underscored the strategic weight of the network’s expansion.
Bagriya brings to the role a background steeped in Indian journalism. A former Legal Editor at Hindustan Times and CNN-News18, he is known for his reporting on constitutional law, public policy and institutional accountability. His transition from mainstream Indian newsrooms to the helm of RT India reflects not only a professional shift but also the network’s intent to anchor its Indian operations in local media experience while retaining its global editorial ethos. For RT, positioning an Indian journalist with an established reputation at the top of its India operations signals a deliberate attempt to localise leadership even as the channel carries a distinctly international and often contrarian editorial voice.
Much of Bagriya’s work preceded the formal launch. Over several months, he oversaw the establishment of RT India’s new office in New Delhi, building infrastructure from the ground up. The facility includes a fully equipped studio, newsroom and a workforce exceeding 100 professionals spanning editorial, production, technical and administrative roles. The scale of the operation underlines RT’s ambition to be more than a symbolic presence in India. Instead, the network is positioning RT India as a significant broadcast entity capable of sustained output and wide distribution.
The timing of the launch lent it an unmistakable geopolitical resonance. President Putin’s visit to New Delhi, which coincided with RT India going on air, provided a powerful backdrop and reinforced the channel’s stated focus on India–Russia relations and broader global affairs. During the visit, RT’s India chapter was formally launched, an event described by the network as its largest foreign venture to date. In a media environment where symbolism often carries as much weight as programming, the convergence of diplomacy and broadcasting sent a clear signal about RT’s priorities and expectations for the Indian market.
Editorially, RT India has outlined a programming slate of four daily English-language news shows. These programmes are expected to focus on India–Russia relations, major international developments and themes linked to what RT often describes as a multipolar world order. This framing aligns with the network’s global positioning as a challenger to Western-dominated news narratives and its broader emphasis on alternative perspectives in international reporting. For Indian viewers, the channel’s promise lies in offering global news through a lens that differs markedly from that of established Western broadcasters.
RT’s expansion into India comes against the backdrop of significant constraints elsewhere. In the aftermath of the Ukraine conflict, RT—formerly known as Russia Today—was banned or restricted across several Western countries, dramatically shrinking its traditional distribution in Europe and parts of North America. The India launch therefore represents not just an addition to RT’s global map, but a strategic recalibration. By entering one of the world’s largest television markets with a vast English-speaking audience, RT signals a pivot toward regions less aligned with Western media consensus and more open to plural narratives of global power.
Comments made at the launch reflected this posture. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Peskov, addressing the start of RT’s Indian broadcast, remarked that it was sometimes better to lose the right to broadcast in “small democracies—so-called democracies—and launch in the biggest one.” The statement encapsulated RT’s defiant tone and underscored how the network views its India entry not merely as a commercial decision, but as an ideological and strategic victory.
For Bagriya, leading RT India places him at the intersection of journalism, geopolitics and media strategy. His task involves navigating India’s fiercely competitive English news landscape, which is already crowded with established domestic and international players. Unlike many of its competitors, RT India enters the market with a clearly articulated global stance and a reputation that precedes it—both an asset and a challenge. The channel’s success will depend on how effectively it balances its international editorial identity with the expectations and sensitivities of Indian audiences.
The network has stated that RT India aims to serve as a platform for delivering global news to Indian viewers, leveraging RT’s international reach while grounding coverage in issues relevant to India’s foreign policy, economic interests and role in a changing world order. This positioning taps into a growing curiosity among Indian audiences about global realignments, South-South cooperation, and the implications of a multipolar international system.
At an operational level, the establishment of a large, locally staffed newsroom reflects a long-term commitment rather than a tentative experiment. Building a team of over 100 professionals suggests that RT India intends to produce significant original content rather than relying solely on repackaged international feeds. This approach could help the network cultivate credibility among Indian viewers, particularly if it succeeds in integrating local reporting with its global content pipeline.
Yet the challenges are substantial. RT’s editorial approach has drawn sustained criticism in Western media and policy circles, where it is often characterised as a state-aligned outlet advancing Russian geopolitical interests. Operating in India, a country with its own complex media regulations and political sensitivities, requires careful navigation. Bagriya’s background in legal journalism may prove particularly relevant in steering the organisation through regulatory frameworks while maintaining editorial consistency.
The launch also raises broader questions about the evolving nature of global media influence. As traditional Western broadcasters face declining trust in parts of the Global South, networks like RT are seeking to fill the space with alternative narratives that resonate with audiences sceptical of established power centres. India, with its strategic autonomy in foreign policy and its vast, diverse viewership, represents a crucial arena in this contest of narratives.
As RT India begins regular broadcasting under Bagriya’s leadership, its immediate focus will be on carving out a distinct voice amid intense competition. Whether the channel becomes a mainstream fixture in Indian living rooms or remains a niche source for globally oriented viewers will depend on its programming quality, relevance and ability to engage audiences beyond headline geopolitics.
For now, the combination of a high-profile launch, a seasoned Indian journalist at the helm and a clear strategic intent has ensured that RT India’s arrival has not gone unnoticed. In taking charge as CEO at this moment, Ashok Bagriya steps into a role that is as politically charged as it is professionally challenging, guiding a network that views India not just as a new market, but as central to its next phase of global expansion.
