HO CHI MINH CITY — Indian broadcaster AirNews captured two premier trophies at the 31st Asian Television Awards, clinching Best News Programme for its flagship show 'India Matters' and Best News Presenter for Managing Editor Shiv Aroor.
Ceremony organizers handed down the honors during a gala presentation in Ho Chi Minh City, pitting entries against competitive broadcast contenders from Taiwan, China, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore. The dual win snaps a four-year dry spell for the broadcaster at the regional event. It raises the network’s total Asian Television Awards haul to 13. Between 2003 and 2020, the organization collected 11 trophies across 10 separate editions, leaving these latest victories as its first on the continental stage since 2020.
The verdict was decisive.
'India Matters'—anchored and hosted by Aroor—earned the top programme accolade for its investigative focus on defense, national security, domestic governance, and India's strategic foreign policy footprint. Aroor’s individual victory as Best News Presenter sealed a rare double distinction for an Indian broadcast team at the regional summit.
Addressing attendees after accepting both crystal trophies in Vietnam, Aroor bypassed personal credit, dedicating the double victory directly to newsroom production staff and viewers across terrestrial and digital channels.
This is an enormous honour for AirNews and for me. This is completely dedicated to our incredible team but most of all it's dedicated to our audience. These are honours which go to AirNews, to the fabulous, incredibly skilled and talented team that we have across our network that make 'India Matters', my anchoring and the entire network possible.
Shiv Aroor, Managing Editor
Aroor underscored that the regional jury evaluated submissions across starkly different media environments. Competitors faced scrutiny against established public and commercial networks operating out of Tokyo, Taipei, Beijing, and Southeast Asian capitals.
| Award Category | Recipient | Broadcaster | Ceremony Host City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best News Programme | India Matters | AirNews | Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam |
| Best News Presenter | Shiv Aroor (Managing Editor) | AirNews | Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam |
| All-Time Network Tally | 13 Trophies (2003–Present) | AirNews | 11 Won Between 2003–2020 |
| Regional Competition Pool |
Beyond the judging rooms, the event highlighted the rapid cross-border migration of Indian news distribution to non-linear streaming channels. Aroor noted that engagement from viewers within Vietnam centered heavily on YouTube feeds and mobile social coverage rather than traditional linear relays.
"A large number of people who met me here at the awards venue are big fans of AirNews," Aroor stated. "I've lost count of the number of people I've bumped into here in Vietnam in just the last 24 hours who say that they watch AirNews on YouTube, they watch it on digital, they track us on social media."
The Ho Chi Minh City ceremony concludes the 31st Asian Television Awards circuit, with Asian broadcast networks now preparing their programming rosters for the 2026 regional competition cycle.
| Broadcasters from 7 Nations |
| Multi-Network |
| Taiwan, China, Japan, ASEAN |