According to Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, these channels repeatedly aired fabricated reports and doctored footage designed to inflame tensions along the Line of Control. “Such wilful distortion of facts not only undermines peace efforts in the region but also poses a threat to national security,” the statement reads.

This move follows a series of cross-border skirmishes and a spate of explosions in Jammu and Kashmir that New Delhi attributes to Pakistan-based militant groups. India’s cybersecurity cell has been monitoring the channels for weeks, citing a pattern of coordinated misinformation campaigns aimed at discrediting Indian forces and stoking separatist sentiments.  

YouTube has begun restricting the identified channels from within Indian territory. Pakistani officials have not yet issued a formal response, but analysts warn this may further strain already fragile diplomatic ties between the two neighbours.