Al Jazeera English, the award-winning 24-hour global news and current affairs channel, has been granted a downlinking license to broadcast in India.

The decision, which was made by India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, allows cable and satellite companies in India to add Al Jazeera English to their current line-up of channels.

The announcement from the Indian Government follows a formal application process by Al Jazeera English, which was initiated in 2006.

“We know there is a great demand for our award-winning content. Through our dedicated resources in India, Al Jazeera is already presenting important stories from India to our global audience in more than 100 countries,” said Al Anstey, managing director of Al Jazeera English.

Al Jazeera English currently has a bureau in New Delhi.

The channel is currently available in more than 100 countries, reaching more than 220 million households around the world.-TradeArabia News Service