IAMAI to channel expertise to protect creative economy: Kiran Mani on MIB anti-piracy task force

New Delhi: The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) has welcomed the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s (MIB) announcement to form a dedicated task force to tackle the increasing challenge of online piracy. IAMAI’s Digital Entertainment Committee (DEC) described the move as a timely and necessary step for safeguarding India’s creative economy.

The Cinematograph Amendment Act 2023 introduced stricter penalties for digital piracy, granting authorities the power to act against illegal recordings and transmissions. The Rob Report, released in 2024 by EY and IAMAI, underlined the scale of the problem, estimating that India’s entertainment sector, including OTT platforms and theatres, loses Rs 224 billion annually to online piracy, with 51% of media consumers reportedly accessing pirated content. The report highlighted the need for stronger enforcement, fair pricing, and innovative distribution models to make legal content more accessible. The creation of a dedicated task force is intended to bring these legal provisions and industry insights together.

Kiran Mani, CEO of JioStar and Chair of IAMAI’s Digital Entertainment Committee, said, “IAMAI’s participation in this task force would ensure that industry expertise is directly channelled into decisive measures that safeguard our creative economy and fuel long term growth. By bringing together the collective experience of the entertainment ecosystem, we can help shape solutions that protect India’s creative economy and drive its long-term growth. This will help in creating an ecosystem where original content thrives and creators have the confidence to bring more stories to audiences everywhere.”

Emphasising the need for a united approach, Deepit Purkayastha, Co-founder and CEO of Inshorts and Co-Chair of the Digital Entertainment Committee, said, “Piracy is still one of the biggest hurdles for our industry. This task force is a chance for us to work hand in hand with the government and the wider ecosystem to find solutions that really work. Together, we can set the stage for a stronger and more trusted entertainment industry.”