MediaNama is convening a hybrid policy discussion in Delhi on April 23, 2026, focused on MeitY's proposed amendments to the IT Rules, 2021 and their consequences for online speech, platform liability, and government oversight of digital content. The event runs from 1:00 PM to 4:45 PM at India Habitat Centre, with virtual access via Zoom for outstation participants. Co-organizers include the Internet Freedom Foundation, Centre for Communication Governance, and DIGI Pub. Three structured sessions will examine distinct regulatory pressure points. Session 1 grounds the discussion in documented censorship cases, including through the MHA's Sahyog portal, a content takedown mechanism with direct reach over online speech. Session 2 examines Rule 3(4) of the IT Rules, probing how ministry-issued notices acquiring legal force could erode safe harbour protections and shift intermediary liability from "actual knowledge" to continuous compliance, with compressed takedown timelines increasing over-removal risk. Session 3 addresses the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting's proposed expansion via the Inter-Departmental Committee and Part III provisions, which would extend the MIB's Code of Ethics to user-generated news content. That shift creates compliance exposure for individuals and platforms sharing news, not just publishers. Constitutional validity and judicial scrutiny of both sets of amendments are on the agenda. Attendance is confirmed selectively; registrants receive confirmation only if they fit the intended audience profile.
India's government plans to amend the Payment and Settlement Systems Act to restore UPI merchant discount rates, ending the zero-MDR regime in place since January 2020.
India's government has introduced the Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, proposing changes to payments regulation, income tax, and the Finance Act to attract FDI and support Make in India. The Bill's final shape will depend on parliamentary debate and committee review.
The government's Taxation and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, proposes to replace the blanket UPI MDR ban with a system allowing the Centre to notify which payment modes stay fee-free.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Rs 5,000 crore Bhogapuram greenfield airport in Andhra Pradesh, built under a public-private partnership model. He also laid foundation stones for infrastructure projects worth nearly Rs 18,000 crore in the state, signalling a broad investment push for the region.
