India Proposes Legal Overhaul to Make IT Ministry Advisories Binding on Tech Giants

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government this year compressed the timeline for platforms to take down content flagged by authorities to three hours, a sharp reduction from the earlier 36-hour window. It has also imposed new obligations around AI-generated content and deepfakes, intensifying regulatory oversight in response to emerging digital risks.

Currently, the IT ministry's advisories to platforms—covering issues ranging from deepfake labelling to content takedown practices—have functioned as guidance without explicit legal consequences. However, under new proposed rules issued on Monday, the government stated that non-compliance with advisories or guidelines issued by the IT ministry would be treated as a failure to meet the conditions for safe harbour, the legal shield that protects platforms from liability for content posted by their users.

The proposed changes aim to "strengthen enforceability" of official directions and "improve legal certainty," the ministry said in a notice inviting public feedback by April 14. The move signals a decisive shift toward tighter accountability mechanisms for digital platforms operating in India.

Meta, Google and X did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The development comes amid broader policy and regulatory activity. Most Read in Policy includes: Centre tightens security norms for CCTV systems to prevent remote unauthorised access: Jitin Prasada; DoT seeks review of BSNL's subscriber & revenue growth for FY2; BSNL to add up to 60,000 more mobile towers, FY26 operating profit to grow in double digits, says Scindia; ASML actively considering pa dian companies: Ashwini Vaishnaw.

The proposed overhaul underscores the government’s intent to redefine platform accountability, with far-reaching implications for how global technology companies operate under India’s evolving digital regulatory framework.