South India is poised to see three new business newspapers launch over the next three to four months, ending an 18-year gap in fresh English-language financial print launches in the country, according to a report in the Business Standard.
Business Standard reported that Express Publications (Madurai), the company behind the New Indian Express, is preparing a new national business paper headquartered in Kochi, expected by the end of October.Â
Separately, Kumudam – a Tamil news and entertainment weekly founded in 1948 – will roll out a Chennai-based business paper in Tamil and English by mid-September. Dinamalar — among the largest-circulated Tamil dailies — is also working on its own Tamil business paper, targeted for launch before Pongal later this year.
The last major business daily to enter the Indian market was Financial Chronicle in 2008, following Mint’s 2007 launch. Financial Chronicle folded in 2019, leaving five major national players: Economic Times, Business Standard, Mint, Financial Express, and BusinessLine.
Citing government sources, the Business Standard report noted the Express Publications title may be called Financial Standard, while Kumudam’s paper could be named Kumudam Business and News — though neither company confirmed these names officially.
Lakshmi Menon, chief operating officer of Express Publications (Madurai), told Business Standard that the new paper will focus on the sectors fueling India’s next phase of growth — manufacturing hubs, logistics, innovation ecosystems, family businesses, and emerging regional cities, rather than just the traditional financial centers. She described the publication’s ambition as capturing “the financial daily for India’s growth story.”Â
Menon also noted that financial journalism itself has changed since the last wave of launches, meaning the new paper will need to serve readers across multiple platforms, and that the group may explore complementary ventures like events and knowledge platforms alongside its core editorial work. Pricing has not yet been announced.
Anto T Joseph, currently resident editor of the New Indian Express for Tamil Nadu, will head the Kochi-based paper, while veteran journalist L Ranganathan will edit Kumudam’s new title. Industry sources suggest Kumudam’s paper could launch with four editions across Tamil Nadu, and Express Publications may eventually roll out to a dozen cities.
Dinamalar’s associate editor Krishnamurthy Ramasubbu told Business Standard that dummy pages are already being prepared and the team is ready to launch once market conditions improve.
The wave of new launches comes alongside other South Indian media expansion, including the recent launch of India Today Tamil by Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin and the Kerala edition of the Delhi-headquartered English daily, The Pioneer, on 13 June 2026.
