In a significant move amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, on Thursday (May 8), the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued an advisory directing all OTT platforms, streaming services, and digital intermediaries operating in India to immediately discontinue access to all content originating from Pakistan.
The advisory stated, "Several terrorist attacks in India have been established to have cross-border linkages with Pakistan based State and non-State actors. Recently, on April 22, the terrorist attack in Pahalgam led to the killing of several Indians, one Nepali citizen, and injuries to a number of others."
"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 further read.
The directive comes in the wake of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 innocent people. The move is being viewed as a firm cultural stance amid strained diplomatic relations.
The ban impacts a range of Pakistani-origin media available on Indian OTT platforms - from popular dramas and web series to music albums and independent podcasts. Several Indian streaming platforms will now be required to take down such content with immediate effect.
This is not the first time cultural and entertainment exchanges between the two nations have been curtailed due to geopolitical unrest.
Pakistani artists were unofficially banned from working in the Indian film industry following the 2016 Uri attack. However, some Pakistani content continued to be accessible through digital platforms until this latest directive.
As of now, major OTT platforms have not yet released official statements in response to the Ministry’s order.
