India’s government is getting tougher on OTT (Over-the-Top) apps, blocking 50 platforms across the country for streaming obscene content. Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Dr. L. Murugan, announced the crackdown in a written reply in the Lok Sabha, explaining that these services broke Indian laws on obscene and objectionable material.
This is not the first time authorities have taken action against the OTT platforms. Over the past year, several services have been pulled off the shelf for explicit content.
Why were the OTT apps banned?
Officials have said that the platforms ran content that does not adhere to the Information Technology (Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules of 2021.
They further violated Section 294 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which covers obscene acts and content, and Section 4 of the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, which bans indecent portrayal of women.
After checking the evidence, the government ordered authorities to block public access to these apps.
Names of the banned apps not disclosed
The government did not state the specific names, but the officials have confirmed that the apps’ names are kept confidential. They stressed that monitoring is not a one-off thing. Rather, they keep an eye on digital platforms and take action anytime they spot content breaking the law or threatening public interest.
Action extends beyond app stores
This crackdown goes further than just telling app stores to take down these platforms. The government told Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to block the services outright. Plus, Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store were told to pull the offending apps, making it impossible for people in India to download them now or in the future. That means both current users and would-be downloaders lose access.
Part of an ongoing crackdown
This is all part of a wider effort to clean up the digital space. In 2025, the government blocked 25 OTT apps—including ALT, Ullu and Desiflix- for hosting obscene material.
Earlier this year, 5-more platforms went offline for similar violations. With this latest move, the total number of OTT platforms blocked in the past two years has hit 80.
Platforms now face stricter compliance rules
OTT platforms and digital intermediaries now face much stricter compliance rules under India’s updated IT laws. The rules demand that platforms quickly remove illegal or prohibited content and block access within three hours if they get a court order or a directive from the government or another authorised agency. The goal is to stamp out unlawful digital content as quickly as possible.
Government says monitoring will continue
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting says many banned platforms were making money from subscriptions and web traffic while hosting objectionable content. The government made it clear: monitoring will continue, and platforms caught breaking the law will face strict legal action.
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