Nearly six months after tightening rules governing AI-generated content, the Centre has provided Parliament with its most comprehensive update on how the framework is being implemented, outlining enforcement measures, platform obligations and fresh cybercrime investigation data as concerns over deepfakes continue to grow.
In a written reply in the Lok Sabha on August 5, Union Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada said the government remains focused on ensuring an “open, safe, trusted and accountable cyberspace” through a combination of existing laws, strengthened intermediary obligations and AI governance measures.
While the response does not introduce any new regulations, it offers a consolidated implementation update following the amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, notified on February 10, 2026.
The amended rules require intermediaries to clearly label permissible AI-generated content and maintain traceable metadata to help users identify synthetically generated material. Platforms are also required to strengthen user awareness around the legal consequences of generating or sharing unlawful AI-generated content.
The rules explicitly cover harmful AI-generated content, including child sexual exploitation material, non-consensual intimate imagery, impersonation and other forms of synthetic content that violate Indian law. Intermediaries are expected to deploy appropriate technical measures, including automated tools where necessary, to prevent such content from being created, published or disseminated.
One of the most significant operational changes highlighted by the government is the reduction in compliance timelines. Following the amendments, intermediaries must remove unlawful content within three hours of receiving a valid court order or a reasoned notice from the appropriate government, compared with the earlier 36-hour deadline.
Grievance redressal timelines have also been tightened. Complaints relating to sensitive issues such as nudity and impersonation are now required to be addressed within two hours, while the timeline for other grievance categories has also been shortened.
The government reiterated that Significant Social Media Intermediaries (SSMIs) are expected to deploy proactive technical measures to identify content depicting rape, child sexual abuse material or content that has previously been removed for violating the law.
The parliamentary reply also reaffirmed that intermediaries failing to comply with these due diligence obligations risk losing the safe harbour protection available under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act, 2000, making them liable for action under applicable laws.
Alongside the implementation update, the government shared fresh figures on cybercrime enforcement through the Samanvaya platform, which supports interstate cybercrime investigations. According to the reply, the platform’s Pratibimb module has so far facilitated the arrest of 12,987 accused, identified 1,51,984 criminal linkages and supported 70,584 cyber investigation assistance requests, helping law enforcement dismantle organised cyber fraud networks.
The Centre also reiterated the role of multiple enforcement mechanisms, including the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), the SAHYOG portal for issuing automated takedown notices to intermediaries, the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal, Grievance Appellate Committees and CERT-In in tackling unlawful online content, including deepfakes.
The reply further outlined the broader legal framework available to prosecute offences involving synthetic media. These include provisions under the Information Technology Act, 2000 relating to identity theft, impersonation, privacy violations and obscene content, as well as provisions under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 dealing with cheating by personation, forgery, misinformation and organised cybercrime.
On AI governance, the government reiterated that India has adopted a risk-based approach through the India AI Governance Guidelines released in November 2025. It also highlighted ongoing work under the IndiaAI Mission’s Safe & Trusted AI pillar, including research projects on deepfake detection by IIT Jodhpur, IIT Madras and IIT Kharagpur.
The government said it has also issued multiple advisories to intermediaries during 2026 regarding the handling of AI-generated misinformation and harmful synthetic content, while continuing public awareness campaigns through initiatives such as Cyber Security Awareness Month, Cyber Jagrookta Diwas and Safer Internet Day.
Although the parliamentary response does not announce any fresh legislative measures, it marks the government’s first detailed status update since the February amendments, signalling that the revised compliance framework for AI-generated content has moved into the implementation phase while reinforcing the responsibilities of online platforms in addressing deepfakes.
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