New Delhi: In a decisive move amid rising security tensions, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) has issued a directive to all over-the-top (OTT) platforms, digital streaming services, and intermediaries operating in India to immediately remove all forms of media with Pakistani origin. The Pakistan-origin content ban by I&B Ministry includes web series, films, songs, podcasts, and other streaming materials.
The advisory references recent terror incidents with confirmed cross-border links, including the April 22 attack in Pahalgam that left several Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen dead. The ministry emphasized that such actions were necessary “in the interest of national security.”
Underlining the legal basis for the move, the advisory cites Part-III of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. This regulation lays out a Code of Ethics for online content publishers, directing them to avoid content that may harm India’s sovereignty, integrity, or security—or disturb public order.
“Pakistan-origin content ban by I&B Ministry is a preventive measure to ensure that Indian digital platforms are not inadvertently promoting narratives or media that may be linked to or sympathetic toward elements fostering terrorism,” a senior official told this publication.
Further reinforcing the advisory, the Ministry invoked Rule 3(1)(b) of Part-II of the IT Rules, which mandates intermediaries to make reasonable efforts to ensure that users do not host or share content that threatens India’s unity, defence, or public order.
This marks one of the most direct digital content crackdowns from the Indian government in recent years, reflecting a tougher stance on cultural and information flow across hostile borders. The Pakistan-origin content ban by I&B Ministry is likely to affect several platforms with archives of cross-border collaborations or legacy content.
Streaming giants and social media intermediaries have begun reviewing their libraries in compliance with the order, while some have already started pulling down content in question.
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