Center Directs Media Platforms to Cease Pakistani Shows, Films, and Music After Operation Sindoor
This move comes just only a few days following Operation Sindoor, in which Indian forces carried out retaliatory strikes against terror camps on the other side of the border.
Center Directs Media Platforms to Cease Pakistani Shows, Films, and Music After Operation Sindoor
In the aftermath the aftermath of Operation Sindoor and the recent attack by terrorists in Pahalgam, the Government of India has issued an advisory to all OTT platforms including media streaming services, as well as digital intermediaries to stop streaming web-based series, Pakistani films tracks, songs, podcasts and other media content that originates from Pakistan.
The document, dated the 8th of May, 2025 is issued in accordance with Section II of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021. It reminds intermediaries and publishers of their duty to "ensure that the content streamed or hosted doesn't affect the sovereignty integrity, security, integrity or the public order".
The Ministry said that numerous terror attacks that have occurred in India have been linked cross-border with non-state actors and state Pakistani actors. In reference to the 22nd of April 2025 atrocity in Pahalgam that resulted in the deaths of a number of Indian citizens as well as one Nepali citizen The government said that the advisory was issued for the sake of national security.
The Code of Ethics under the IT Rules states that "publishers must exercise a degree of caution and discretion when publishing any content that may affect the sovereignty or security, public order, or relations with other countries".
"OTT platforms as well as media streaming platforms and intermediaries that operate across India have been advised to cease offering the web-series, films songs, podcasts, and other streaming media, whether available through the basis of subscription or otherwise that originates from Pakistan immediately," the advisory read.
The decision to block actors' accounts came after the government had banned sixteen Pakistani YouTube channels due to their dissemination of controversial and sensitive content to the community.
The decision was made a day following Operation Sindoor, during which the Indian military struck nine terror camps across Pakistan and in Pak-Occupied Kashmir, to take revenge for an attack in Pahalgam.
