India Orders Immediate Ban on Pakistani Content Across Platforms Amid Escalating Cross-Border Tensions
Amidst mounting diplomatic and military tensions between India and Pakistan, the Indian government has issued a formal advisory ordering all over-the-top (OTT) platforms and digital streaming services to take down content originating from Pakistan with immediate effect.
The directive follows the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of several Indian civilians and a Nepali national, and comes on the heels of strikes against Pakistan by Indian forces under Operation Sindoor.
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The advisory – issued under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 – applies to web series, films, music videos, songs, podcasts, and any other form of digital content produced in Pakistan. It extends to both subscription-based and free platforms, covering any material that may be deemed to threaten India's sovereignty, integrity, security, public order, or relations with foreign states.
'Publishers of online curated content and significant social media intermediaries are advised to refrain from hosting Pakistani content that is against the sovereignty and integrity of India,' the advisory said. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said that the move was made with the approval of the 'competent authority.' Copies of the directive have been sent to the self-regulatory bodies of Indian streamers and Indian streamers' associations.
This development adds to a growing digital standoff between the two nuclear-armed neighbors. In recent weeks, India has blocked 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, including major networks such as Geo News, ARY, Bol, and Samaa TV, accusing them of spreading 'misleading and provocative' content about the Indian armed forces and stoking tensions over Kashmir.
Pakistan responded in kind. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) announced it had blocked 16 Indian YouTube channels and 32 websites, citing concerns over the spread of 'anti-state propaganda' and what it described as disinformation surrounding Indian airstrikes that allegedly killed 31 Pakistani civilians.
The latest advisory marks a formal escalation in the cultural boycott that has periodically emerged between the two countries, often mirroring broader geopolitical frictions. Indian broadcasters and the Central Board of Film Certification have previously restricted Pakistani artists and content in the wake of terror attacks or cross-border hostilities.
While the advisory is non-binding, platforms that fail to comply risk being penalized under the IT Rules, potentially affecting their operational licenses and liability protections. Several Indian platforms are reported to have already begun compliance processes.
The ban arrives at a time when digital content consumption in India is at an all-time high, and Pakistani dramas, in particular, had found a niche audience among Indian viewers on select streaming platforms. That window, for now, appears shut.
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