The much-anticipated e-auction for 730 FM radio channels across 234 cities in India is set to begin later this month, Information and Broadcasting Secretary Sanjay Jaju announced on Thursday.

The auction, conducted under the Private FM Radio Phase III policy, is expected to draw significant interest from major players in the radio broadcasting industry.

Speaking at the Broadcasting Engineering Society Expo in the capital, Jaju stated that more than 20 top companies have already shown interest and participated in the bidding process. “There are a lot of gains being made now in terms of the private FM radio. The auctions for private FM radio are slated to start this month,” he said, expressing optimism about the level of participation.

According to a PTI report, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had given its nod in August last year to proceed with the third batch of e-auctions. The auctions will offer 730 FM radio channels in 234 cities at a reserve price of Rs.784.87 crore, signalling the government’s ongoing efforts to expand radio coverage and foster private investment in the sector.

Following the cabinet’s approval, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had invited applications in October 2024. In a subsequent development, the ministry issued an amendment in April 2025, altering the duration of each bidding round in the Rank-wise Multiple Rounds allocation stage. The time per round has been extended from 30 minutes to 60 minutes, aiming to give participants more flexibility and time for informed decision-making during the allocation process.

The upcoming auction is being seen as a major push to enhance the private FM radio footprint across Tier II and Tier III cities, promoting local content and entertainment while offering new business opportunities in India’s rapidly evolving media landscape.