MIB Issues Advisory: No Pakistani Films, Shows, Or Music On Indian OTTs

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has taken a major step to protect national security by issuing an advisory directing all over-the-top (OTT) platforms, media streaming services, and intermediaries that operate in India to immediately stop hosting or disseminating any content that comes from Pakistan. Whether or not they are made available on a subscription-based model, web series, films, music, podcasts, and other streaming material are all subject to the regulation.

Citing Part-III of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, the advise was issued on May 8, 2025. These regulations require publications to refrain from disseminating or displaying any content that could endanger national security, undermine India's sovereignty, damage cordial ties with other countries, or provoke violence or public unrest.

The ministry cited a number of recent terrorist incidents in India that have been connected to state and non-state groups based in Pakistan as justification for the decision. It specifically made reference to the terrorist attack at Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, which claimed the lives of multiple Indian people and one Nepali national while injuring numerous others.

"In the interest of national security," the notice states, "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...having its origins in Pakistan with immediate effect."

In accordance with the Code of Ethics outlined in the IT Rules, 2021, platforms must make sure that no content is published, transferred, or stored that could jeopardise India's unity, integrity, or sovereignty, according to the advise.

The ministry's appropriate authority has approved the order, which has been distributed to industry and self-regulatory organisations connected to over-the-top (OTT) platforms. Several pieces of Pakistani content that are now accessible to Indian viewers through domestic and international streaming services are anticipated to be impacted by the change.

Following recent security incidents, such as India's military operation "Sindoor," which targeted terrorist camps across the border, tensions between India and Pakistan have increased, leading to this instruction. The ruling underscores the Indian government's more stringent approach to regulating content associated with cross-border terrorism and hostile entities.