The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) has directed all OTT platforms, media streaming services, and intermediaries operating in India to immediately discontinue all web series, films, songs, podcasts, and any other media content originating from Pakistan.
In an advisory released on Thursday, the Ministry stated that the Part-II of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media, Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 (hereinafter referred to as IT Rules, 2021), inter- alia, provide for a Code of Ethics for publishers of online curated content (OTT platforms).
The Code of Ethics under the Rules provides that:
A publisher shall take into consideration the following factors, when deciding to feature or transmit or publish or exhibit any content, after duly considering the implications of any content
as falling under the following categories, and shall exercise due caution and discretion in relation to the same, namely,
i) Content which affects the sovereignty and integrity of India
ii) Content which threatens, endangers or jeopardises the security of the State
iii) Content which is detrimental to India’s friendly relations with foreign countries
iv) Content which is likely to incite violence or disturb the maintenance of public order
Further, rule 3(1)(b) of Part-II of the IT Rules, 2021 provides that intermediaries shall make reasonable efforts by itself, and to cause the users of its computer resource to not host, display, upload, modify, publish, transmit, store, update or share any information that inter-alia “threatens the unity, integrity, defence, security or sovereignty of India, friendly relations with foreign States, or public order.”
“Several terrorist attacks in India have been established to have cross border linkages with Pakistan based State and non-State actors. Recently, on April 22, 2025, the terrorist attack in Pahalgam led to the killing of several Indians, one Nepali citizen, and injuries to a number of others,” the Ministry stated.
“In the interest of national security, all OTT platforms, media streaming platforms and intermediaries operating in India are advised to discontinue the web-series, films, songs, podcasts and other streaming media content, whether made available on a subscription based model or otherwise, having its origins in Pakistan with immediate effect,” it added.
This issues with the approval of competent authority in the Ministry.
