In a decisive move to bolster national security, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued a directive on Tuesday advising all Over-the-Top (OTT) platforms, media streaming services, and intermediaries operating in India to immediately discontinue content originating from Pakistan. This includes web series, films, songs, podcasts, and other forms of streaming media, whether available on a subscription-based model or otherwise.
The Ministry’s advisory, which took immediate effect, emphasizes that the action is in the interest of national security. It aims to curb the influence of foreign media content that may be in conflict with India’s security interests.
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
The move has garnered mixed reactions from industry stakeholders, with many expressing concern over its potential impact on cross-border entertainment collaborations. However, government officials have made it clear that this directive is a necessary step to ensure the safety and security of India in the current geopolitical climate.
The Ministry’s statement reads: “In the interest of national security, all OTT platforms, media streaming platforms, and intermediaries operating in India are advised to discontinue web-series, films, songs, podcasts, and other streaming media content, whether made available on a subscription-based model or otherwise, that has its origins in Pakistan.”
