The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) on Wednesday issued an advisory to all OTT platforms, media streaming services, and online intermediaries operating in India, directing them to immediately discontinue content originating from Pakistan.

The advisory, issued under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, urges platforms to exercise “due caution and discretion” while publishing or streaming any content, especially if it threatens national sovereignty, integrity, or public order.

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The move comes in the wake of the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, which resulted in the deaths of multiple Indian civilians, a Nepali national, and left many injured. As per Indian authorities, initial investigations have indicated cross-border links involving Pakistan-based state and non-state actors.

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

In its advisory, the Ministry underscored that online content publishers must adhere strictly to the Code of Ethics outlined in the IT Rules, 2021. Specifically, the Code mandates that publishers avoid content that could endanger India’s security, threaten its sovereignty, damage relations with foreign nations, or incite violence.

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Citing Rule 3(1)(b) of the IT Rules, the government reminded intermediaries of their responsibility to not host or share any content that “threatens the unity, integrity, defence, security or sovereignty of India, friendly relations with foreign States, or public order.”

While the advisory does not impose a legal ban, it strongly advises compliance “in the interest of national security.”

It explicitly calls for the discontinuation of Pakistani-origin content in any form — including web series, films, songs, podcasts, and other streaming media — whether freely accessible or behind a paywall.

The move is expected to impact a small but noticeable segment of online content that includes Pakistani dramas, cross-border musical collaborations, and independent documentaries.

In recent years, some Indian platforms had started hosting Pakistani shows or films either directly or through user-uploaded content.

This is not the first time cultural or content exchange with Pakistan has paused due to geopolitical tensions. Similar measures took place following the Pulwama terror attack in 2019, and bans on Pakistani artists and collaborations have been in intermittent enforcement by industry bodies over the years.