India’s deepfake rules tighten platform liability, leave grey areas on intent and free speech

The Centre’s latest amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2026, formally define “synthetically generated information” (SGI) and impose stringent due diligence, labelling and metadata obligations on platforms, marking the government’s most direct regulatory response yet to deepfakes and AI-generated misinformation. Legal experts say the changes narrow a long-standing regulatory gap but stop short of creating a standalone deepfake offence. “The formal definition of ‘Synthetically Generated Information’ narrows the legal gap by providing a clear regulatory basis for platform action, which industry stakeholders have long requested,” said Probir Roy Chowdhury, Partner at JSA Advocates & Solicitors. “However, distinguishing between malicious disinformation and satire often hinges on context and intent, which remain difficult for platforms to determine at scale.” Read more