The Indian government is working on a significant and far-reaching proposal for social media regulation. An inter-ministerial team is drafting a plan to allow multiple government ministries to issue blocking orders. These orders would compel social media platforms to remove fake or harmful content swiftly. Currently, only one ministry holds this authority under Indian law. However, the government now wants to decentralise this power across several key departments.
Only MeitY Can Issue Blocking Orders Right Now
At present, only the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology holds this critical power. MeitY issues blocking orders under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000. Consequently, all requests to remove harmful content must pass through a single ministry. This centralised process often slows down the government’s response to fast-spreading misinformation. Therefore, officials believe the current system needs an urgent and practical upgrade.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw directly addressed this concern in a recent statement. He told NDTV that empowering multiple ministries would significantly speed up the takedown process. Furthermore, he stressed that faster response time is absolutely essential once deepfakes are identified and fact-checked. “Once deepfakes are identified and fact-checked, a faster response time is essential to prevent public misinformation,” he said. The minister’s statement signals strong political will behind this proposed regulatory change.
Defence, Finance, and External Affairs May Get New Powers
The government is considering extending blocking powers to three additional and strategically important ministries. These include the Ministries of External Affairs, Finance, and Defence. Minister Vaishnaw explained that deepfake content increasingly targets sensitive and high-risk areas. National security, foreign affairs, and economic stability are among the most vulnerable sectors today. Therefore, granting these specific ministries direct authority would ensure a more targeted and timely response.
Additionally, the minister clarified that this change would not require amending the IT Act itself. Instead, the government plans to modify existing rules, making implementation relatively quick and straightforward. This approach avoids lengthy parliamentary processes while still delivering a meaningful regulatory upgrade. Consequently, the government expects to roll out these changes without significant administrative delay. The proposal reflects a practical and efficient approach to tackling a rapidly evolving digital threat.
Deepfake Army Video Triggered Urgent Government Action
A recent and deeply alarming incident directly accelerated this policy push. A deepfake video falsely portrayed former Indian Army Chief Manoj Pande making highly controversial remarks. The fake video included claims that the Indian Army was becoming an “ethnic” rather than an “ethical” force. It also referenced a potential mutiny and alleged foreign influence within the Indian Armed Forces. Furthermore, the video made references to Assam in a misleading and provocative context.
The Press Information Bureau quickly identified and fact-checked the video as entirely fabricated. PIB further stated that Pakistani propaganda accounts actively circulated the video to mislead the Indian public. The government consequently issued an order to block the video after PIB completed its fact-check. Minister Vaishnaw cited this incident as a clear example of why faster inter-ministerial action is urgently needed. He stressed that viral deepfakes targeting the military pose a direct threat to national security.
Government Also Acted Against Viral Bollywood Song
In a separate but related digital content regulation move, the government acted against a popular Bollywood song. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting directed social media platforms to remove the viral track. The song featured actors Sanjay Dutt and Nora Fatehi and spread rapidly across multiple platforms. Specifically, authorities targeted the Hindi version of “Sarke Chunar Teri Sarke” from the film KD: The Devil. The ministry cited content-related concerns as the primary reason for issuing the removal directive.
This action further underlines the government’s increasingly assertive approach toward digital content regulation. Together, these moves reflect a broader strategy to strengthen India’s ability to respond to online threats. The inter-ministerial proposal, the deepfake crackdown, and the song removal all point in the same direction. India is actively building a faster, more responsive, and more decentralised content regulation framework. The question now is how quickly the government will finalise and implement this sweeping new proposal.
