AI law India: Ashwini Vaishnaw signals need for new framework beyond IT Act 2000

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said India’s current information technology law predates the fast rise of Artificial Intelligence AI. Vaishnaw said a fresh legal framework may be needed. Vaishnaw made the remarks on Tuesday during an interview, while discussing how AI is changing risks and responsibilities online.

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Vaishnaw, the Minister for IT and electronics, said the government is already in talks with industry. Vaishnaw said the aim is to manage AI harms without slowing progress. The minister said the choice between a dedicated AI law and IT Act changes remains under discussion.

IT Act and Artificial Intelligence AI law debate

When asked if India will pursue a dedicated AI law, Vaishnaw called the policy question difficult. "Its a very complex topic. Certain things have been done under the IT Act framework, but I do think that there is a requirement for a new law because the world of AI is very different from the world when the IT Act was enacted in 2000.\"

Vaishnaw said consultations with industry are continuing as the government weighs options. \"We are discussing with the industry...as always, our objective and approach will be to balance innovation and regulation in a manner that innovation keeps happening, while our citizens remain safe, the minister said.\"

Artificial Intelligence AI risks and global policy pressure

Across countries, officials are dealing with generative AI concerns, including deepfakes, misinformation, and online harms. Indian policymakers have also focused on these risks. India has tightened IT rules in recent months. The steps aim to curb AI deepfakes and limit the spread of harmful synthetic content online.

Artificial Intelligence AI deepfakes and IT rules for platforms

In February this year, the government added stricter duties for online platforms on AI-generated content. Platforms such as X and Instagram must remove flagged content within three hours. The takedown applies when a competent authority or a court flags the content. The move targets deepfakes and other synthetic media.

The government also notified amendments to the Information Technology Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code Rules, 2021. These changes formally define AI-generated and synthetic content. The definition includes audio, visual, or audio-visual information, and synthetically-generated information. It covers AI-made or AI-altered content that seems real.

The amendments also list exclusions to narrow the scope of enforcement. Routine editing and accessibility improvements are not treated as synthetic content. Good-faith educational work and design work are also excluded. Separately, the Centre has proposed tighter disclosure rules. The proposal requires clear, continuous labels for synthetically generated information during the full visual display.

With inputs from PTI