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India’s Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) has issued a significant directive targeting over-the-top (OTT) platforms, media streaming services, and digital intermediaries operating in the country. The advisory comes in the wake of Operation Sindoor — a retaliatory strike by the Indian Armed Forces against terror hubs in Pakistan — following a deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, 2025.
This move underscores India’s sharpened stance on national security and digital sovereignty, particularly in light of growing geopolitical frictions with Pakistan. The Ministry of Defence has backed the advisory, which effectively restricts all forms of Pakistani-origin digital content from being broadcast or streamed in India.
India’s Advisory to OTT Platforms: What It Says
Complete Ban on Pakistani-Origin Content: All forms of media originating from Pakistan — including web series, films, music, podcasts, and other digital media — must be taken down immediately, whether they are on free or subscription-based platforms.
Backdrop of Recent Terrorism: The move follows a terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed multiple Indian citizens and one Nepali national, leaving several others injured.
Legal Basis under IT Rules 2021: The advisory invokes Part III of the IT Rules, 2021, particularly Rule 3(1)(b), which mandates digital intermediaries to prevent the dissemination of content that may threaten India’s unity, integrity, sovereignty, or public order.
Focus on Misinformation Control: The Press Information Bureau (PIB) has simultaneously issued warnings about anticipated waves of misinformation and propaganda originating from Pakistan. Citizens are advised to verify any inflammatory content circulating online.
Examples of Fake News: The PIB cited specific misinformation, such as fake reports about a “Fidayeen” suicide attack in Rajouri, and viral videos falsely claiming that Pakistan launched a missile strike on India.
Public Caution Emphasized: Indians are urged to remain vigilant and not fall for social media narratives aimed at creating panic or fueling cross-border tensions.
What Undercode Say:
India’s advisory reflects a convergence of digital policy and national security, and it signals a new frontier in how sovereign nations regulate cyberspace during times of geopolitical stress.
From a policy standpoint, this decision isn’t just reactionary — it’s strategic. By invoking the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules of 2021, the Indian government leverages existing legislative tools to shape narrative ecosystems. These rules were initially created to enforce ethical standards and ensure platform accountability, but now they’re being adapted for national defense applications.
This blanket ban may ripple across the digital entertainment ecosystem. For streaming giants like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and YouTube, this means recalibrating their South Asia content strategies, especially in the curation of multicultural content. Smaller platforms may face challenges in swiftly identifying and purging content of Pakistani origin — risking penalties for non-compliance.
Yet, the move also raises significant questions:
Will this set a precedent for future digital embargoes against other countries?
Could it push Pakistani creators further into closed, regional ecosystems and away from global viewership?
And most critically — will it prevent the spread of harmful propaganda, or simply shift it to encrypted, less-visible channels like Telegram or dark social networks?
In digital warfare, content is a weapon, and this directive aims to disarm any perceived psychological threats emanating from across the border. The advisory is also a cautionary tale for Indian content creators: straying too close to themes or partnerships that could be interpreted as sympathetic to adversarial nations may now carry greater risk.
Moreover, the advisory aligns with a broader global trend of tech nationalism — where states take assertive steps to control information flows and cultural imports via digital platforms. This is India’s version of the Great Firewall — not a technical blockade, but a legal and ethical one.
India’s digital border, it seems, is now as real as its physical one.
Fact Checker Results:
No Fidayeen attack in Rajouri: Verified as false by PIB.
Missile attack claim: Viral video proven to be outdated and unrelated to current events.
High Alert on Propaganda: Government expects an influx of fake news from Pakistan-based sources.
Prediction
Expect OTT platforms to rapidly implement geo-filtering algorithms and manual audits to comply with the advisory. Content creators in India may steer clear of even neutral portrayals of Pakistan to avoid scrutiny. This could lead to an era of hyper-nationalist storytelling in Indian digital media. At the same time, Pakistan-based platforms may double down on anti-India narratives in retaliation, resulting in a digital cold war in South Asian cyberspace.
As for the broader public, social media platforms are likely to be battlegrounds of disinformation and counter-narratives — making fact-checking more crucial than ever.
References:
Reported By: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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