New Delhi, Feb. 12 -- In the absence of a dedicated law to police the abuse of fast-evolving AI and Generative AI-systems that can impersonate humans, fabricate reality and operate on their own-India's government had initially opted for calibrated restraint. Its AI Governance Guidelines and Digital Personal Data Protection Act were designed as 'techno-legal' frameworks to test corporate compliance, encourage innovation and nudge companies to embed safety into their systems.

That phase seems to be giving way to a firmer stance.

Under the amended IT Rules of 2026, online platforms must remove non-consensual sexual imagery (deepfakes included) within two hours of a complaint's receipt. Other unlawful content must go within three hours of a...