Last year, the Karnataka High Court directed the Union Government to take legal steps to block Proton Mail in India due to its anonymous nature being used for illegal actions. At that time, a single-judge bench had passed this order. Justice M Nagaprasanna allowed the petition filed by M Moser Design Associated India Pvt Ltd, seeking a direction to the Union government to take steps necessary to ban the use of Proton Mail in India.

Proton Mail appealed against this blocking order. And it is now revealed that the Karnataka High Court has restrained authorities, including the Central government, from blocking access to Proton Mail in India, till further orders. A Division Bench of Chief Justice Vibhu Bhakru and Justice CM Poonacha passed this restriction order on 16^th March.

The Court mentioned that Proton Mail was not disrupting its obligation to comply with all lawful orders passed by the authorities or courts, and therefore, an interim relief was granted to Proton Mail. Proton Mail has also specified that it did not act on a notice sent through registered post because there was no judicial order backing it. However, it submitted that once it received a formal order through Swiss authorities, it complied without delay.

The Division Bench has also issued notice to the Central government, M Moser Design Associates India and other respondents, and has asked them to file their written submissions in the matter. It is directed that the platform should remain accessible while the matter is under consideration.

Via.

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Social media platform X has again landed in a controversy, as a case has been registered against the platform due to the circulation of an AI-generated video.

Case registered against the X platform

The cyber wing of the Kerala police has registered a case against social media platform X and one of its handles for circulating an AI-generated video allegedly depicting the PM and Election Commission of India (ECI) in a “misleading and defamatory manner.”

Reportedly, a case was registered against the X account Laxmi N Raju (@valiant_Raju), and others, which includes X Corp, at the Cyber Crime Police Station, Thiruvananthapuram City.

According to the police, the allegedly defamatory content was brought to its notice through official channels, including the ECI. It is mentioned in a statement, “Upon verification, it was assessed that the material had the potential to mislead the public, undermine the credibility of constitutional bodies, and adversely impact the conduct of free and fair elections.”

It is revealed that an investigation is underway to determine responsibility and initiate legal action. The police have also sent legal notices to the intermediary under provisions of the IT Act and Rules, seeking quick removal of the content. Though the video is still available on the platform as of the writing of this article.

The public is also urged to remain vigilant and avoid creating, sharing or amplifying unverified or misleading content, particularly during the elections.

Via.

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AI-generated videos and images are increasingly being shared online, making it harder for people to tell what is real and what is fake. In recent weeks, several AI-generated images circulated on X, including altered images of public figures, highlighting growing concerns around misuse and online harm. Against this backdrop, India has updated its IT rules to regulate content created using artificial intelligence.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology announced changes to the IT Intermediary Rules on 10 February 2026. These new rules will come into effect from 20 February 2026.

Under the update, the government has clearly defined what counts as AI-generated content. This includes audio, images, and videos created or altered using AI tools that closely resemble real people, places, or events.

Basic photo or video editing, formatting, compression, subtitles, accessibility improvements, and training data use are not covered, as long as they do not mislead viewers.

If AI-generated content is used for illegal purposes, it will be treated the same way as real content under the law. Online platforms are allowed to remove such content using technical tools without losing their legal protection. Making these online social media platforms more accountable.

All Content that could mislead people or impersonate someone must carry clear labels showing it was made using AI.

Large social media platforms will also ask users to declare whether their uploads are AI-generated and take steps to verify this information. Platforms that fail to act against illegal AI content may face consequences for not following due diligence rules.

The amendments also shorten several compliance timelines, signalling a tougher stance on harmful online content. In some cases, platforms will now have just three hours to act on lawful orders or complaints, compared to 36 hours earlier. Other response deadlines have also been reduced, including from 15 days to seven days and from 24 hours to 12 hours, depending on the nature of the violation.

The updated rules also speed up response timelines for government orders and replace references to the Indian Penal Code with the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

The post India Updates IT Rules to Regulate AI-Generated Content Amid Rise in Deepfake Videos appeared first on The Tech Outlook.

To make customs procedures easier for foreign travelers arriving in India, the Central Government has issued the Baggage Rules, 2026, and the Customs Baggage (Declaration and Processing) Regulations, 2026.

Under the revised rules, the general duty-free allowance has been increased. Indian residents, people of Indian origin, and foreign nationals holding valid non-tourist visas can now bring goods worth up to ₹75,000 without paying customs duty. Tourists of foreign origin are allowed duty-free goods worth up to ₹25,000, while crew members are entitled to an allowance of ₹2,500. However, passengers arriving through land borders are not eligible for any general duty-free allowance.

One of the most important clarifications in the new rules is the duty-free allowance for laptops. Passengers above 18 years of age are now clearly permitted to carry one laptop for personal use without paying customs duty. This allowance is in addition to the general duty-free limit, which means travellers do not need to include the laptop while calculating the value of other items they are carrying.

The Baggage Rules, 2026, also introduce provisions for the temporary import and re-import of personal items. These provisions are expected to help professionals and frequent travellers carrying high-value items, as customs authorities may issue temporary import or export certificates to avoid delays during arrival, departure, or re-entry into India.

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In the Indian region, Google’s Emergency Location Service (ELS) has now been integrated onto Android and is now active. This feature has now been rolled out in Uttar Pradesh, making it the first Indian state to support its accessibility.

Here’s more about the update.

Emergency Location Service (ELS) – Now Accessible in India

Google introduced its Emergency Location Service or ELS for emergency scenarios where communicating the accurate location may not be possible due to poor network or caller distress. This built-in feature of Android is intended to help emergency services to find the location of a caller when they make a 112 call or SMS. Relying on connectivity aspects like mobile network, WiFi, and GPS signals (data fusion*), the feature will be able to share the call location automatically, and it is said to work even if the call drops immediately.

For the first time ever, the ELS feature is now accessible in India, and it has been initially rolled out in Uttar Pradesh (UP). The UP Police department has already integrated the feature onto its emergency response system (with the 112 emergency services*), collaborating with Pert Telecom Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (PertSol). To note, it will only work while making emergency calls, and it is entirely made free to users. The feature will be compatible with Android OS versions 6.0 and above, and will provide accurate location within a radius of 50 meters. Additionally, language settings can also be transmitted via the feature, and responders will thereby easily be able to communicate with the caller. Also, Google will not collect nor store the location data by any means.

Speaking more, before the implementation and release of ELS, it was thoroughly tested. Over a period of seven months, over 20 million calls and SMS messages were looked into by the ELS feature, and it was successfully able to determine the location details of the caller. It can thus be believed that taking the example of UP, more Indian states may soon consider integrating the ELS feature to their emergency systems as well. We’ll wait and see.

The post Google Announces its Emergency Location Service (ELS) Activation in India: Now Rolled out in Uttar Pradesh appeared first on The Tech Outlook.

The Union Government of India has now announced that it will be launching the Bharat Taxi app as a new cab-hailing platform for commuters in Delhi. As per its features, the app is intended to benefit both passengers as well as drivers.

Check out more about this app and its features below.

Bharat Taxi App – Launching on 1st January 2026 in Delhi

Till date, commuters in the Delhi region have been facing all sorts of travel problems ranging from high surge prices to unpredictable bookings, and Union Government’s Bharat Taxi app serves to address these issues and become an alternative to similar services like Uber and Ola. The platform will be covering bikes, autos, and cars, and already 56,000 drivers are said to have signed up.

Speaking of its key features, the app will be offering fixed fares, meaning passengers won’t have to pay higher fares during rush hours, festival season, bad weather, and more. Furthermore, fixed fares will thereby reduce confusions and disputes. Apart from just being beneficial for passengers, the platform also aims to be beneficial for drivers too by promising them 80+% of the total fare. Other key features include real-time vehicle tracking, multiple languages support, verified drivers, 24 x 7 customer support, and more. All of these are expected to help Bharat Taxi to end the monopoly of Uber and Ola.

Thanks to the cooperate-style model, fixed fares, and transparent rules, the Bharat Taxi app initiative may gain widespread acceptance and if this happens, there is a chance that it might be brought across the country in more parts.

The post Bharat Taxi App Launching in Delhi on 1st January 2026, With Benefits Both for Passengers and Drivers appeared first on The Tech Outlook.

Recently, it was reported that the Sanchar Saathi app has been made mandatory for all phones in India, and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) had directed that new phones (manufactured and imported) should be pre-loading it, whereas the app must be rolled out to older phones via an OTA update. While earlier it was said that the app cannot be removed from the device, it is now confirmed to be possible from the side of users. Also, the Cupertino-based smartphone maker – Apple does not wish to pre-install the app within their devices, and is planning on exploring other alternative solutions with the government.

Read more about the latest news below.

Sanchar Saathi App Can be Deleted?

This news has been shared directly by Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (Union Minister for Communications and Development of the North Eastern Region, India) and as per his X post, along with promoting the app and why it is important, he states that the system is completely voluntary and democratic. He points out that it is up to the users of the device to choose whether or not to activate the app and its services/benefits. Furthermore, he also adds that if the users do not wish to keep the app in their respective phones, they will also be able to delete it at any point of time.

Apple Planning to Explore Other Alternatives

Reportedly, phone brands like Samsung, Apple, Xiaomi, Vivo, OPPO, and more are already instructed to implement and follow the new instructions, however brands like Samsung, Apple, and even Google do not have a history of pre-installing any apps. Even if this is the case, these brands are asked to complete the whole process in 90 days, and they should be able to submit a report about it within 120 days.

Even though this is the scenario that all the brands are in, Apple is said to work with the Government of India to find other alternative solutions and reach a middle ground on the matter without having to pre-load the Sanchar Saathi app on their devices. Similar to its negotiations with the Russian Government back in 2021, Apple plans on adding a notification which will prompt the users to install the government-listed app at the time of setting up the device.

However, it remains to be seen whether Apple’s pleas will be heard, as it has been clearly stated in the notice that the app must be active at the moment the device is turned on, must not be disabled/hidden/restricted, and must be part of the setup process itself. Just like Apple, there are other brands too which are planning to oppose the action, and is going to take the matter before the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) which handles this domain. [via CNBC TV18]

Stay tuned for more such updates.

The post Sanchar Saathi Can be Deleted From the Phone by Users, States Union Minister; Apple Resists Mandatory Sanchar Saathi App Pre-Loading, and Wishes to Explore Other Alternatives appeared first on The Tech Outlook.

The Union Government of India has now announced new directives for popular messenger apps that are in use across the country. One of the instructions mandates sim binding for these apps.

Here’s more about the update.

SIM Binding Now Mandatory for Popular Messenger Apps in India

Popular messengers like WhatsApp, Signal, Arattai, Sharechat, Telegram, and more will now have to ensure SIM binding within their platforms, and the latest directives issued by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has mandated it. This means, the SIM card that is used for registration will be needed within the device for the messenger app(s) to be operable, and users will be barred from accessing the services if it is not available. Just to add, along with this, the latest directives also mention that messenger apps such as WhatsApp and Telegram that offer web-based services will also have to make sure that the web services are automatically logged out every six hours.

These newly-issued directives align with the Telecommunication Cybersecurity Amendment Rules of October 2025, and fall under the Telecommunication Identifier User Entity (TIUE) concept. The main goal behind these directives is to prevent the possible cybersecurity risks that may affect users when such a service is accessible even when the SIM is not physically there within the device. Also to note, as per what has been announced, the Government of India has given messenger apps 90 days time for ensuring that the services they provide are linked continuously with the SIM card used for registering their accounts.

Stay tuned for more updates.

The post Indian Government Mandates SIM Binding for Popular Messenger Apps: An Active SIM Card Will be Required Within the Device appeared first on The Tech Outlook.

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), as part of a nationwide clean-up effort for maintaining accuracy of its Aadhaar database, has now deactivated over 2 crore Aadhaar Numbers of deceased individuals. In addition to this, the authority also asks its card holders to report the death of their family members, along with the necessary document details, in order to continue maintaining the Aadhaar database accuracy.

Here’s more about it.

UIDAI – Over 2 Crore Aadhaar Numbers of Deceased Individuals Deactivated

As mentioned, UIDAI recently deactivated over 2 crore Aadhaar Numbers of deceased individuals, relying on the data sourced from the Registrar General of India (RGI), States and Union Territories, Public Distribution System, National Social Assistance Program, and more. In the future, UIDAI is also planning to collaborate with other financial institutions as well as other similar agencies in order to collect the details of deceased individuals. While Aadhaar Numbers are never reassigned to others, the goal of this initiative is to prevent possible fraudulent activities such as identity theft and unauthorized usage to gain privileges like welfare benefits and more.

It should also be noted that UIDAI is also encouraging its Aadhaar card holders to report the death of family members and for this, UIDAI had introduced a facility on the myAadhaar Portal early this year in 2025. People from 25 states and union territories that use the Civil Registration System can access it, and the expansion to the other states and union territories is underway. The death of family members can be reported by providing his/her Aadhaar Number and Death Registration Number, after verifying the identity of the person reporting it. Following the submission, the request will be validated and the necessary action will be taken.

Speaking of a few other related updates, RBI (Reserve Bank of India) and NIPL (NPCL International Payments Limited), in collaboration with the European Central Bank, had officially announced the UPI-TIPS interlinkage recently with the aim of providing an enhanced cross-border payment facility across the Euro area. Furthermore, India has also brought out its new E-Passport system too, this month in November 2025.

Stay tuned for more updates.

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RBI has now officially announced the UPI-TIPS interlinkage as part of the G20 Roadmap, and this initiative aims to enhance the cross-border payments across the Euro Area.

Read more about the update below.

UPI-TIPS Interlinkage – Officially Announced

As mentioned, the UPI-TIPS Interlinkage initiative is aligned with the G20 Roadmap and aims in enhancing cross border payments. The goal is to make remittances cheaper, efficient, transparent, as well as accessible, and for this, both RBI (Reserve Bank of India) and NIPL (NPCL International Payments Limited) have worked together engaging with the European Central Bank, bringing the UPI connection to the Eurosystem-operated instant payment system – TIPS (TARGET Instant Payment Settlement).

The UPI-TIPS link realization phase has already been agreed upon and thanks to which, cross border remittances between India and the European Union have been made possible. Users of both these regions are also said to be benefited from this initiative. Furthermore, in order to operationalize the UPI-TIPS link, both RBI and NIPL will be continuing its collaboration with European Central Bank, and aspects like technical integration, risk management, and settlement arrangements will be focused.

In related news, early this month in November 2025, TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) approved the CNAP Portal with a pan India roll-out expected by the month of March 2026. The CNAP Portal is aimed to provide caller details taken directly via the KYC database to users. Around the mid-half of this month in November 2025, the country also launched the E-Passport System, bringing out chip-enabled booklets, redesigned website and app, along with many new features.

Stay tuned for more updates.

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