New Delhi, April 26, 2025:
In a reminder to all media platforms, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting today issued a fresh advisory prohibiting live coverage of defence operations and troop movements, warning that any violation could compromise national security and invite strict action.
The advisory, flagged under file number 41015/3/2024-BC.III, bluntly states: no real-time visuals, no speculative reporting, and no source-based scoops when it comes to security operations.
Media coverage, it says, must be strictly limited to official briefings by designated government officers until operations conclude.
The ministry drew sharp references to past disasters — from the Kargil War to the 26/11 Mumbai attacks — where freewheeling media coverage allegedly aided hostile forces and jeopardized lives.
"Premature disclosure of sensitive information may inadvertently assist hostile elements," the advisory warns.
While the government frames the move as a "shared moral responsibility" between media and the state, watchdogs and critics aren't blind to the risks: Such blanket bans, they argue, could also be misused to control narratives and stifle independent journalism.
The advisory stresses that earlier guidelines under the Cable Television Networks (Amendment) Rules, 2021 already prohibit such telecasts. Rule 6(1)(p) specifically bars live coverage of anti-terror operations except through official periodic briefings.
Importantly, the government’s concern is not limited to TV channels anymore. The net has been cast wide — news websites, digital media, social media users — all are under the scanner.
In an era where a single viral video from a battlefield can alter public opinion — or expose military vulnerabilities — the advisory underlines a tough balancing act: freedom of the press versus the imperatives of national security.
Issued with approval from the competent authority, the advisory was signed by Deputy Director Kshitij Aggarwal.
In today’s fast-paced news environment, a moment’s recklessness could endanger lives.
But equally, a nation must guard against turning security into an excuse to shut down legitimate journalism.
The responsibility — and the burden — is heavier than ever.
