India broadcasts in more languages than almost anywhere on Earth, and its radio reflects that: Bollywood hits, classical ragas, devotional music and chat in dozens of languages, sometimes all on the same dial.
Station counts updated October 1, 2026
India's public broadcaster, All India Radio — also known as Akashvani, "voice from the sky" — took its name in 1936 and is today part of Prasar Bharati, the national public service broadcaster. It runs a huge network of stations across the country, broadcasting news, music, farming and education programmes, and regional services in many Indian languages.
Its entertainment service, Vividh Bharati, launched in 1957, became famous for film songs, request shows and radio plays, and generations of listeners grew up with it.
India opened FM radio to private companies around the start of the 2000s, and Radio City in Bengaluru is widely described as the country's first private FM station, launched in 2001. Private networks such as Radio Mirchi grew quickly in the big cities with a fast, music-heavy style and popular radio jockeys (RJs). Private FM stations have historically focused on entertainment rather than their own news, so news programming is largely associated with All India Radio.
India also has hundreds of community radio stations run by universities, non-profits and local groups. They broadcast in local languages and dialects about farming, health, education and local culture — often reaching villages that mainstream media doesn't serve well.