Govt asks OTT, streaming platforms to immediately pull Pakistan-origin content

The advisory, addressed to OTT platforms, media streaming platforms and intermediaries, said: “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 stated: “Several terrorist attacks in India have been established to have cross-border linkages with Pakistan based State and non-State actors. Recently, on 22.04.2025, the terrorist attack in Pahalgam led to the killing of several Indians, one Nepali citizen, and injuries to a number of others.”

The advisory cites the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media, Ethics Code) Rules of 2021, which provides for a “code of ethics” for OTT platforms.

The advisory refers to the “code of ethics” which states that a publisher shall take into consideration certain factors while deciding to exhibit or publish content, and shall “exercise due caution and discretion in relation to the same”.

This includes “content which affects the sovereignty and integrity of India”, “threatens, endangers or jeopardises the security of the State”, “content which is detrimental to India’s friendly relations with foreign countries” and “content which is likely to incite violence or disturb the maintenance of public order”.

The advisory goes on to refer to a section of the IT Rules which state 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.”