BBC World Service India, 99.99 percent owned by the British Broadcasting Corp (BBC), is restructuring its shareholding to comply with the Centre’s foreign direct investment (FDI) guidelines. These limit foreign holdings in digital news entities to 26 percent.

BBC News deputy chief executive Jonathan Munro is likely to announce the purported change in ownership structure soon, said people in the know. He is scheduled to address a town hall of BBC India staff on Tuesday, the Economic Times reported.

Replying to ET’s questions, a BBC spokesperson said, “We will not be making an announcement today. We will let you know if and when we have more to say.”

Munro couldn’t be immediately reached for comment.

In its regulatory filings, BBC World Service India disclosed that it had received a letter from the Ministry of information and Broadcasting dated March 31, for alleged non-compliance with FDI norms. The company said it has sought time until March 31, 2024, for compliance, and communicated its restructuring proposals to the ministry.

People aware of the development told ET that one of the options being explored by the company is to offer stakes to some of its executives. Some key functionaries in India include Rupa Jha, head of BBC News India; Mukesh Sharma, head of African language services, BBC News; and Sanjoy Mazumdar, deputy managing editor, Asia, at BBC World Service.