India TV YouTube channel hacked; over 2 lakh videos deleted, live feed disrupted

New Delhi: India TV on Friday said unidentified cybercriminals “suspected to be of Russian origin” breached its official YouTube channel, deleting over two lakh videos from the archive and disrupting the channel’s YouTube live feed.

Calling the incident an attack on “free and independent journalism,” Ritu Dhawan, Managing Director & CEO, India TV, said the broadcaster is working with YouTube and cybersecurity authorities to restore the wiped content and harden defences.

“Our YouTube channel has recently faced a major cyber-attack. This is not an attack on our channel, but an attempt to weaken the important pillars of free and independent journalism,” Dhawan said, adding that India TV “strongly condemns such attempts” and will remain committed to “authentic, accurate, and timely” news.

The network framed the breach as part of a broader pattern of hostile cyber activity targeting Indian media and institutions. It said the episode underscores persistent attempts by “anti-Indian forces” to undermine trust in digital platforms and democratic institutions.

India TV did not share technical details of the intrusion, timelines for full restoration, or whether any viewer data was affected. The broadcaster said other India TV assets remain operational and that updates on recovery efforts will follow.