India Proposes Tighter IT Rules to Make Government Advisories Legally Binding on Tech Platforms

India has proposed amendments to its IT regulations that would make government advisories and clarifications legally binding on major internet platforms, signaling a further tightening of compliance requirements for global technology companies.

The move would directly impact firms such as Meta, Google, and X, which currently treat government advisories as guidance rather than enforceable mandates.

Under the proposed changes, failure to comply with directives issued by the IT ministry—covering areas such as content moderation practices and deepfake labeling—could result in platforms losing their “safe harbour” protection. This legal shield, provided under India’s IT framework, protects intermediaries from liability for user-generated content as long as they meet prescribed conditions.

The proposal is part of a broader push by the government led by Narendra Modi to tighten oversight of digital platforms. Earlier this year, authorities reduced the time allowed for platforms to remove flagged content from 36 hours to just three hours and introduced additional obligations related to artificial intelligence-generated content and misinformation.

Officials said the latest amendments are intended to strengthen enforceability and provide greater legal clarity around compliance expectations. The draft rules have been opened for public consultation, with feedback invited until April 14.

If implemented, the changes could significantly alter how global tech platforms operate in India, increasing their legal exposure and requiring faster, more stringent compliance with government directives in one of the world’s largest digital markets.