India Grapples with Deepfakes as New IT Rules Take Effect

India is confronting the escalating challenge of synthetic media, or deepfakes, in its political landscape, particularly evident during the 2024 general elections and recent assembly polls. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) introduced the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2026, which came into force on February 20, 2026, to regulate this emerging threat. These new rules mandate labeling of synthetic content, require provenance metadata, and shorten timelines for platforms to remove flagged material. Despite these measures, concerns persist regarding enforcement efficacy, cross-platform traceability, and the reliability of AI detection tools. Political parties have increasingly utilized AI for personalized outreach, including resurrecting deceased leaders, while deepfakes of public figures and celebrities have also surfaced. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has also issued advisories, highlighting the risk deepfakes pose to free and fair campaigning.