The Central government has stepped up its action against Telegram over the circulation of pirated movies, OTT shows and other copyrighted content on the messaging platform. In its latest move, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has asked Telegram to improve its system for stopping piracy instead of only removing content after complaints are received.
On July 4, 2026, the ministry issued a notice directing Telegram to submit a detailed Action Taken Report (ATR) within 15 days. The report must explain the steps the platform will take to stop copyright violations and strengthen its content monitoring system.
The move is part of the government’s larger effort to reduce online piracy, which continues to cause major financial losses to India’s film and entertainment industry.
Government Wants Telegram to Take Stronger Action Against Piracy
In the notice, the government said Telegram should not rely only on removing reported content. Instead, it wants the platform to actively detect and block pirated content before it spreads to more users.
The ministry has also asked Telegram to take strict action against repeat offenders. This includes removing not just individual links but also channels, groups, bots, administrators and user accounts that are repeatedly involved in sharing pirated content.
Another key demand is a stronger grievance redressal system. Telegram has been asked to provide full details of the process available for filmmakers, OTT platforms, broadcasters, copyright owners and law enforcement agencies to report copyright violations.
The government reminded Telegram that copyright infringement is a criminal offence under the Copyright Act, 1957, and the Cinematograph Act, 1952. It also warned that if the platform does not follow the directions properly, it could lose its intermediary protection under the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the IT Rules, 2021. This protection currently limits the company’s legal responsibility for content shared by users.
Officials say the action is aimed at protecting India’s growing creator economy, which loses thousands of crores of rupees every year because of digital piracy.
Recent Actions Show Government’s Tough Stand
The latest notice comes just a few months after another major anti-piracy action.
In March 2026, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting ordered Telegram to block access to 3,142 channels that were allegedly sharing pirated movies and web series. The platform was asked to disable these channels within three hours of receiving the order. Government investigations found that some channels contained more than 2,000 piracy links, while many others had hundreds of illegal links. At the same time, around 800 piracy websites were also blocked through internet service providers.
However, officials believe that removing channels alone has not solved the problem. The latest notice focuses on making Telegram improve its overall system to prevent piracy in the future.
Telegram also faced strong government action during the NEET-UG 2026 examination controversy. After reports of leaked question papers and fake exam material being circulated through Telegram channels, the National Testing Agency informed the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) about the issue.
Investigations found that several groups were demanding money by claiming to provide leaked question papers. Authorities later uncovered cyber fraud networks operating multiple Telegram channels.
As a result, the government temporarily blocked Telegram across India from June 16 to June 22, 2026, using emergency powers under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act. The platform was also asked to temporarily disable its message-editing feature because scammers were allegedly using edited messages to create fake proof of paper leaks. The Delhi High Court later supported the government’s decision, saying that removing individual channels had not been enough to stop the misuse.
Telegram Faces More Regulatory Challenges
Telegram’s challenges in India are no longer limited to piracy and exam fraud.
Recently, MeitY also raised concerns about the username feature available on Telegram and some other messaging platforms. According to the government, allowing users to communicate without sharing their phone numbers could make it easier for cybercriminals to carry out online fraud, phishing and impersonation scams.
The platform has also faced criticism in the past over channels that allegedly shared sensitive personal information, including employee records and identity-related data.
Indian courts have also taken a strict view on Telegram’s responsibilities. In an earlier copyright case involving the illegal sharing of educational content, the Delhi High Court directed Telegram to provide details of the people operating the infringing channels. The court rejected the company’s argument that its servers outside India protected it from Indian copyright laws.
Meanwhile, Telegram has also changed some of its global policies after facing regulatory pressure in different countries. The company has said it may share user information, including IP addresses and phone numbers, with law enforcement agencies when valid legal requests are made. It has also announced plans to publish regular transparency reports about such requests.
With the latest notice, the Indian government has made it clear that digital platforms are expected to do more than simply remove illegal content after complaints. They must take stronger steps to stop piracy and other unlawful activities before they spread. Telegram’s response in the coming weeks will be closely watched by both regulators and the entertainment industry.