NEW DELHI: The Indian government has so far permitted 71 companies to uplink 179 private satellite TV channels from India, Information and Broadcasting minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi said today.

In addition, Doordarshan is presently operating 27 television channels. TV channels, which are uplinked from abroad, are considered foreign TV channels.

The I&B ministry does not maintain records of channels uplinked from outside India, which are also available to viewers in India, as on date.

However, the government has recently issued downlinking guidelines in November to regulate such foreign TV channels.

This information was given by Dasmunsi in written reply to a question in Lok Sabha (Lower House) today.