No that's not, you can argue all day, even star don't have to pay for disney movies because star india is included in disney earnings. Now the situation is same with sony pictures india
I am not arguing but just stating facts,,neither disney sta channels r getting rights of Disney / Star Studios/20th Century Studios/ Marvel / Pixar movies for free nor are Sony Channels getting Sony Pictures / Columbia Pictures / Stage 6 Films/Screen Gems movies for free......Broadcasters have to buy rights even if these movies belong to a production house which is subsidiary of their parent company......nothing is free buddy as a company may be involved in various businesses but when any of these subsidiaries r involved in agreements with each other then monetary transactions r part of it
Going by ur logic if movie production banners / studios start giving movie rights for free to their Parent Company's Linear TV Broadcast channels then this will be a huge loss making deal ...... Also FYI this will be against fair competition practices if any company undertakes such agreements much like how u saw even Pro Kabbadi rights were sold with a open bidding process though Star Sports is owner of the league