India escalated its anti-piracy campaign on Saturday, issuing a formal notice to the messaging platform Telegram. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting demanded the company take immediate steps to halt the distribution of pirated films and other copyrighted material.
The directive marks a significant regulatory push by New Delhi against unlicensed content sharing on encrypted platforms. Telegram has faced growing scrutiny globally for hosting channels that distribute copyrighted media, but India's move is among the most direct government actions against the service.
The ministry has given Telegram 15 days to submit a detailed report on the measures it has taken. Failure to comply could lead to further regulatory or legal consequences, though the notice did not specify potential penalties.
This action could set a precedent for how India handles copyright violations on messaging apps, potentially affecting other platforms like WhatsApp and Signal. The notice may also strain Telegram's operations in one of its largest user markets.
It remains unclear how Telegram will balance compliance with its stated commitment to user privacy and encryption.