Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting, Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw issued a firm directive to global tech giants like Netflix, Meta, and X at the India AI Impact Summit, insisting they must operate strictly by India’s constitution.
Vaishnaw, on Tuesday at the Bharat Mandapam, emphasised that platforms cannot cherry-pick compliance based on their home-country norms. All platforms must adhere to India’s constitutional and legal framework, regardless of their global operations.
He stressed cultural sensitivity, noting that content norms vary by country, and positioned compliance as a universal multinational obligation. This comes amid the summit’s focus on AI advancements.
During the press conference, India’s IT Minister Ashwani Vaishnav stressed the daily surge in deepfakes as a major threat to children and society, calling for “much stronger regulations” beyond existing MeitY rules like 36-hour takedowns and AI labeling.
Discussions with platforms target age-based access limits, leveraging the Digital Personal Data Protection Act’s provisions for minors. A parliamentary committee has reviewed these issues, pushing for consensus on tougher curbs.
The Supreme Court and High Courts in India have, in the recent past, issued key directives against tech giants like Meta and X in deepfake and content moderation cases, reinforcing government calls for strict compliance.
These rulings emphasise swift takedowns and data disclosure, aligning with IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s ultimatum.
In July 2025, the Delhi High Court ordered Meta and X to remove AI-generated obscene deepfake content targeting an influencer, deeming it a privacy violation.
The Bombay High Court similarly mandated immediate takedowns of deepfake videos of celebrities invoking Article 21 rights to dignity. These decisions highlight judicial urgency for platforms to act within hours, not days.
Recently, MeitY amended the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, mandating platforms to takedown deepfakes within 3 hours of government or court flags, effective February 20.
Vaishnaw’s remark declaring no room for selective adherence, platforms must fully embrace India’s rules on deepfakes, age-gating, and cultural norms, or risk exclusion from its vast market.
