Published : 28 Oct 2026, 11:45 PM
Updated : 28 Oct 2026, 11:45 PM
India is open to hearing concerns from media groups about its privacy law and wants to protect press freedom, its IT minister said on Wednesday, in the first government comments since major media publishers challenged the legislation in the Supreme Court.
A group of 21 news publishers, including billionaire Mukesh Ambani's Network18 and Gautam Adani's NDTV, have challenged the privacy law, arguing it would trample upon investigative work and allow New Delhi to identify journalists' sources.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government last year announced a privacy law to protect the digital personal data of users, raising compliance requirements for platforms like Meta and Google. As media outlets were not exempt, publishers have said the law was an invasion of press freedom.
"Journalistic freedom is guaranteed by the Constitution, and there is no intention to affect that,” Vaishnaw said, according to Network18's Moneycontrol website.
"I am inviting all editors. We are happy to take on record all suggestions, and if there is any doubt, the government is open to act accordingly," he added.
The Indian government's privacy law, which would require journalists to seek consent from people they write about, amounted to pre-censorship and could lead to newsrooms shutting down, media groups told the Supreme Court on Tuesday, starting the most high-profile challenge against the legislation.
The lawsuit comes amid accusations of declining press freedom in India since Modi took office in 2014. Critics say many mainstream media outlets have not done enough to scrutinise Modi’s government, which says it respects press freedom.
India's government has been asked by the Supreme Court to respond before November 17 to the lawsuit.
