Dish TV and Videocon are merging to create a satellite TV distribution platform in India. Photo: Videocon

[Via Satellite 10-11-2016] Dish TV and Videocon have announced a merger that aims to create a cable and satellite distribution platform in India. Once the transaction is closed, the merged entity will be renamed as Dish TV Videocon.

Dish TV Videocon would serve 27.6 million net subscribers in India, as of Sept. 30, 2016 on a pro forma basis, out of a total of 175 million TV households in India, which signifies significant room for growth, according to a statement released by Videocon.

The companies expect the merger to provide better synergies and growth opportunities and enable Dish TV Videocon to provide differentiated service to all customers through deeper after-sales, distribution and technology capabilities, and also become a more effective partner for TV content providers in India.

The merger, which is expected to close in the second half of 2017, remains subject to approvals from the Securities and Exchange Board of India, the stock exchanges, shareholders and creditors of both companies, the Competition Commission of India, the High Court of Bombay and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.