Government Directs OTT Platforms to Ban Pakistan-Origin Content Citing National Security Concerns
Government Directs OTT Platforms to Ban Pakistan-Origin Content Citing National Security Concerns
New Delhi, May 8, 2025 – The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued a strong advisory to OTT platforms, media streaming services, and digital intermediaries across India to immediately discontinue all content that originates from Pakistan, citing national security concerns.
According to the advisory (No. DM/9/2025-DM), issued under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, platforms are instructed to ensure strict compliance with the Code of Ethics when publishing or transmitting content. These guidelines require publishers to avoid content that:
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… pic.twitter.com/8yjP6ULNEU
— ANI (@ANI) May 8, 2025
- Affects India’s sovereignty and integrity
- Threatens the security of the state
- Harms India’s relations with foreign countries
- Incites violence or disrupts public order
The ministry referenced recent terror attacks, including the April 22, 2025 Pahalgam incident, which involved Pakistan-based entities and resulted in the deaths of several Indian citizens and one Nepali national.
“In the interest of national security, all platforms are advised to immediately remove or discontinue web-series, films, songs, podcasts, and other content originating from Pakistan, regardless of the distribution model,” the advisory states.
The move affects all OTT platforms, including those operating on subscription-based and free-to-access models. The ministry emphasized the legal obligation of intermediaries under Rule 3(1)(b) of the IT Rules to prevent hosting or sharing any content that threatens India’s unity, integrity, and sovereignty.
The directive was approved by a competent authority in the Ministry and signed by Deputy Director Kshitij Aggarwal. Copies of the advisory were also forwarded to self-regulatory bodies and associations of OTT platforms.
