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<ul><li><keyword id="5293670" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="OTT-platforms">OTT platforms</keyword> and <keyword id="10257445" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="news-content-providers">news content providers</keyword> in India will no longer be regulated by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) but by the Information and Broadcasting (I&amp;B) Ministry instead. </li><li>The changing of the guard comes with its own set of challenges like figuring out how user-generated content will be handled versus curated content.</li><li>The <keyword id="57751" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="IB-ministry">I&amp;B Ministry</keyword> will also have to figure out how to navigate the multilingual landscape where more and more players are popping up by the day.</li></ul><keyword id="2976376" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Amazon-Prime-Video">Amazon Prime Video</keyword>, Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar and other over-the-top (OTT) platforms will no longer fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). Instead, their content will be regulated by the Information and Broadcasting (I&amp;B) Ministry, according to a notification signed by India's President Ram Nath Kovind. This is contrary to the ‘self regulation’ that the platforms prefer. However, the move has not come as a surprise. “Convergence of various ministries is extremely necessary with changes that are coming only in the country but also beyond,” said Amit Khare, secretary of the I&amp;B Ministry, during a <a href="https://eframes.24x7attend.in/">FICCI webinar</a> back in July when he hinted that a changing of the guard may be in the works. <div type="twitter" handle="barandbench" handlename="Bar &amp; Bench" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1304761912068984833/5-qPfQOb_normal.jpg" favoritecount="295" retweetcount="74" status="Cabinet Secretariat amends Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules to bring online news and current affa… https://t.co/JwWP7pEVYN" createdat="1605072916000" id="1326398066203758592"></div> Distinguishing between user-generated content and curated content According to the Counterpoint analyst Tarun Pathak, the change in regulation marks a significant change. But the challenge now will be to distinguish between streaming platforms that curate content — like Netflix, Amazon Prime and others — and platforms that host user-generated content, which includes the likes of YouTube and Facebook. The latter are deemed ‘intermediaries’ under the IT Act and do not have active control over the content available on such platforms. The IT Act also recognizes this distinction between different platforms. It is uncertain as of right now whether that same distinction will be made under the I&amp;B Ministry's rule as well. The surge in online content The regulatory regimes for platforms in India — print, radio, television, films, and now, OTT — have largely been developed as per the platform. Some are self-regulated, some are pre-regulated, some are post-regulated and one still stands unregulated. Until now the likes of Amazon, Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar and others fell under the jurisdiction of the MeitY since they are digital solutions. Moreover, at the time of the formation of the IT Act, the OTT platforms had limited penetration. And, since then, their content has been largely unregulated with the exception of any self-regulation they put in place for themselves. The explosion in use of these platforms due to cheap smartphones and affordable data tariffs made the debate on regulation inevitable. “As many platforms are user content-driven and multilingual, it is almost impossible to set up a film like certification system. The internet by nature is free to circulate content, and there is always a very thin line between regulation and censorship,” Tanu Banerjee, the Media &amp; Entertainment Partner at Induslaw, told Business Insider. “In my view, it should be a collaborative approach between the Govt and OTT platforms players to come up with a mechanism to make the internet a better place for its users.” I&amp;B vs MeitY Two years ago, I&amp;B formed a committee to devise ways to regulate online media and other Internet content was <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/ministry-of-information-and-broadcasting-panel-to-be-replaced-soon/story-xZEXuPqIyoitGmRyFIt3gN.html">disbanded</a> after the Prime Minister’s cabinet was reshuffled. Its mandate was handed over to a panel overseen by MeitY. Then earlier this, when the topic of regulation was broached again, MeitY asserted that the Information Technology (IT) Act 2000 and its intermediary guidelines governed the conduct for all third party content — including content pushed by OTTs. This meant that the regulation of online platforms stands with MeitY, not the I&amp;B Ministry. I&amp;B, on the other hand, has been asking streaming services to come up with a code of conduct and finalise the details of the Digital Content Complaints Committee (DCCC), similar to the Broadcast Content Complaints Committee (BCCC). It was only in September 2020, that <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/news/self-regulation-code-adopted-by-disney-hotstar-amazon-prime-and-other-ott-platforms-what-is-this-code/articleshow/78009955.cms">17 large OTT players signed a self regulation code to govern content on their platform</a>, which included the mandate to have a DCCC set up. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/politics/india/news/checkout-here-bihar-assembly-election-2020-results-and-updates-online/articleshow/79142084.cms">Bihar Election Results 2020: Final tally puts NDA in the majority with 125 seats as RJD remains the single largest party</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/news/americans-cant-resist-the-alibaba-singles-day-sales-us-tops-in-gmv-for-sales-from-the-chinese-e-commerce-giant-so-far/articleshow/79165246.cms">Americans can’t resist the Alibaba Singles’ Day Sales – US tops in GMV for sales from the Chinese e-commerce giant so far</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/psu-bank-employees-wage-revision-finalised-after-three-years-of-waiting-only-a-1500-increase-in-salary-for-officers/articleshow/79166497.cms">PSU bank employees wage revision finalised after three years of waiting — only a ₹1,500 increase in salary for officers</a>

The likes of Hotstar, Netflix and even news content providers will now be regulated by the I&B Ministry, contrary to what the platforms would like

Acting on an Intelligence Bureau (<keyword id="6355286" type="COMPANY" weightage="80" keywordseo="IB">IB</keyword>) report that accused non-government organisations (NGOs) of derailing India’s economic growth, the Home Ministry has sent a questionnaire to <keyword id="69355" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="Greenpeace">Greenpeace</keyword>, an environment-focused NGO, asking it to explain its foreign funding. The ministry also asked the organisation to provide details about the causes on which it spends the funds. 
 
According to media reports, the licences of all the NGOs named in the IB report will be reviewed under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), 2010. 
Greenpeace had denied charges levelled in the IB report that labelled the NGO as ‘a threat to national economic security.’ 
 
The ministry has asked the NGO to furnish details regarding the sources of its funds, the beneficiaries and on what activities the funds are spent. 
 
Greenpeace was funded by individual donors in the country and does not accept any donation from corporate or government entities. 
 
“In FY2013-14, Greenpeace India raised around Rs 20 crore from more than three lakh individual supporters in India. More than 60% of our funds come from Indian supporters. Foreign grants form 37% of our funds,” Greenpeace said in a statement.

Government Asks Greenpeace To Provide Details On
Foreign Funding

The foreign ministry is reported to be ignoring suggestions by RAW and IB in the context of delivering e-Visas to Chinese citizens. The decision is triggered by <keyword id="71" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Prime-Minister">Prime Minister</keyword> <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword>'s visit to <keyword id="1333" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Beijing">Beijing</keyword> next week. As per a news report by <keyword id="105279" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="the-Times">The Times</keyword> of India, the concerns highlighted by the intelligence agencies at Wednesday's meeting - attended by <keyword id="6447470" type="POSITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="home-secretary">home secretary</keyword> L C Goyal and brass of the foreign ministry, RAW and IB -- mainly related to overstay by Chinese citizens in India as well as past instances of some taking to spying. 
 The TOI report further reads, even though the issue of stapled visas by China to residents of <keyword id="46408" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Arunachal-Pradesh">Arunachal Pradesh</keyword> remains an irritant, junior home minister <keyword id="638723" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kiren-Rijiju">Kiren Rijiju</keyword> had on Wednesday made it clear that e-tourist visa facility was not based on reciprocity since its purpose is to promote tourism. 
 
As per the proposal being discussed for easing visa regime with China, tourists from the country may be allowed entry on e-tourist visa, two-month restriction of consecutive visits on tourist visa done away with and China be removed from the list of prior reference category countries for conference visa. 
 
(Image: reuters)

It’s confirmed: Chinese to get e-Visa for India

<ul><li>Regulation of OTT platforms and digital news providers will now fall under the gambit of the Information and Broadcasting (I&amp;B) Ministry instead of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeiTY).</li><li>With the winter session of parliament right around the corner, many are nervous that this could indicate more than just the changing of the guard. </li><li>Here are the burning unanswered questions that the online community is wondering about.</li></ul>The regulation of OTT platforms like <keyword id="128682" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Netflix">Netflix</keyword>, HotstarDisney+, Amazon Prime Video and others has been pulled from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeiTY) and handed off to the Information and Broadcasting (I&amp;B) Ministry. Aside from the changing of the guard, the government is yet to shed light on what it actually means for the OTT channel and news content curators themselves. One can only assume that a new regulatory framework will be put in place to address the challenges that have cropped in recent years. The winter session of Parliament is also right around the corner. “Although there is little to no clarity about what this entails for different types of intermediaries, platform and content creators, it portends a regime with more interference from the Ministry of I&amp;B and less reliance on self-regulation by the OTT platforms extending the censorship heavy legacy to the Internet,” technology lawyer and founder of the Software Freedom Law Center (SFLC) told Business Insider. Despite the ambiguity, Internet Freedom Foundation chair and founder of SaveTheInternet Raman Chima, also believes that this is more than just a reorganisation of departments. “It does indicate government intent. That is definitely worrying. This change was made without any proper public consultation,” he explained on <a href="https://twitter.com/tame_wildcard/status/1326553154893217795">Twitter</a>. Here are some of the unanswered questions around what the change in regulations could mean for OTT platforms and news content providers: <ul><li>Will the government be holding a discussion with stakeholders before implementing new regulations?</li></ul>Some experts believe that there is a trend in the making. First, the government added a regulatory structure around foreign direct investment (FDI) and now, it’s looking to regulate content. <ul><li>Will the new regulations be on par with current regulations currently in place?</li></ul>The key obstacle they will face is that, at a technical level, broadcast, print and digital aren’t the same. This will make treating them as the same increasingly difficult. <ul><li>How will user-generated content be regulated on platforms like YouTube, Facebook and others?</li></ul>While OTT platforms curate content and are responsible for what goes up on the platform, YouTube and Facebook are ‘intermediaries’. This means that they do take any responsibility for the content that is posted on their site, and instead pass the buck onto individual users. <ul><li>How will digital news media be defined? Will personal channels like Dhruv Rathi and Akash Banerjee come under digital news media?</li></ul>The mediums used to dispense the news in the digital era expands well beyond the written word or even structured news publications. There are influencers like Dhruv Rathi analysing the news, personalised newsletters that people can subscribe to, instagram alerts and so much more. The new regulations will have to define what amounts to news, and what does not. <ul><li>Will every news organisation on the internet will have to register itself?</li></ul>Not every news publication exists in the brick-and-mortar world, some are only digital. In fact, the freedom to register a website and dispense content at a minimal cost is of the primary pros of being on the internet. But non-digital news organisations have to register and get government approval before they can take off. If the same applies to the online world, it should lead to a drastic cut in the number of publications able to report the news. <ul><li>Will this mean nobody can post on YouTube or Facebook if they’re not registered?</li></ul>In addition to channels and influencers, day-to-day users also express their opinion and share the news online. Like FM channels, will this mean that those who are not registered will no longer be allowed to post about the news on social networking hubs like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube? Will generic vlogs be flagged or taken down should they make mention of any current events? <ul><li>Will there be a cap on subscriptions and memberships, or a minimum rate that can be charged?</li></ul>News publications and individuals are also offering newsletters and subscriptions. The new slew of regulations hold the potential to cap the number of people who can sign up. They could also dictate a ceiling price that would limit how much can be charged for such services. <ul><li>Is the government going to block any news outfit or OTT that’s not registered in India?</li></ul>In addition to the publications in India, it’s uncertain what the regulations will mean for foreign entities. While they do report on India, without registering with the government on par with print regulations the government may block access. <ul><li>Will content rules for OTT platforms now be the same as the ones for television channels?</li></ul>Television channels have to adhere to strict rules about what can and cannot be said while OTT platforms do not. This has been one of the critical reasons behind the success of shows like Sacred Games, or Mirzapur. <ul><li>Will movies that release exclusively on the internet now require a certification from the licensing board?</li></ul>Movies that get released online don’t need to be licensed by Central Board of Film Certification. But with the I&amp;B Ministry at the helm, they may have to adhere to the rules and regulations of the board, which many fear will restrict creative expression. The way news is disseminated is also diversifying. Publications have alerts on WhatsApp and Telegram, others have personalised newsletters, and most are spread across difficult mediums — from text to video to podcasts. Individual states already have anti fake-news task forces within their ranks that have thus far proven ineffective, other than in cases on anti-government news deemed to be misleading. Given the wide array of complications in implementing blanket regulations, the task will be nearly impossible to execute. So, what remains to be seen, is what the government’s intent is behind bringing a new regulatory authority for OTT platforms and news content providers. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/google-photos-will-no-longer-offer-free-and-unlimited-photo-uploads-starting-june-next-year/articleshow/79184955.cms">Google Photos' most endearing feature is going out the window starting June next year</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/psu-bank-employees-wage-revision-finalised-after-three-years-of-waiting-only-a-1500-increase-in-salary-for-officers/articleshow/79166497.cms">PSU bank employees wage revision finalised after three years of waiting — only a ₹1,500 increase in salary for officers</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/instagram-down-users-complain-of-frozen-timelines-and-likes/articleshow/79146012.cms">Instagram down for a second consecutive day — Facebook is working on a fix but has not disclosed what's wrong</a>

Unanswered questions as regulation of OTT platforms and digital news providers moves from one government department to another

<ul><li><keyword id="6612" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Smriti-Irani">Smriti Irani</keyword> returns to be a Cabinet Minister with two ministries – Women &amp; Child Development along with Textiles.</li><li>Irani is the BJP MP from <keyword id="6360791" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="amethi">Amethi</keyword>.</li><li>She defeated Congress President Rahul Gandhi in the Amethi constituency.</li></ul>The Narendra Modi government has duly rewarded its star performer Smriti Irani, by allocating her two portfolios – Women &amp; Child Development along with Textiles. Irani, the BJP MP from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh managed a spectacular win this election against Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi. Irani, who held the Information and Broadcasting Ministry (I&amp;B) before the country went into elections, had been shuffled around many times in the cabinet. She had held the Human Resource Development Ministry and also Textiles later. The former television actress had entered politics in 2003, as she joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Though she had lost to Rahul Gandhi at Amethi during the 2014 general elections, she managed a stunning turnaround with her relentless campaigning this time around. She had managed to cut Gandhi’s vote share by 12%, in the traditional Congress stronghold. Irani had ran elections for a Lok Sabha seat for the first time in 2004 from Chandni Chowk in Delhi. See Also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/smriti-irani-winner-from-amethi-lok-sabha-seat/articleshow/69469872.cms">Smriti Irani: The woman who broke the Congress Bastion</a>

Smriti Irani gets two portfolios – Women & Child Development and Textiles

<ul><li>Indian external affairs minister <keyword id="3006063" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Subrahmanyan-Jaishankar">Subrahmanyan Jaishankar</keyword> explained why the <keyword id="6374106" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="ministry-of-external-affairs">Ministry of External Affairs</keyword> (MEA) needs its own new, emerging and strategic technologies (NEST) division. </li><li>As a stakeholder in national security, MEA must monitor cyber threats as well. </li><li>While the nature of technology may not be strategic, it can become so in the hands of a strategic player. </li></ul>Technology is no longer just about economics — it dictates a country's cyber might and leads to fears of governments spying on each other. However, the strategic importance of technology depends on a number of different factors, according to External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyan Jaishankar. Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue 2020, Jaishankar explained why the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) needs a separate division to monitor emerging technology. “It is no longer realistic to deal with technology as economics, which used to be an old fashioned way around 20-30 years ago. Today technology is very strategic,” he said. The question of national security Cyberthreats are on the rise. Threat intelligence company Group-IB found that cyberspace was increasingly weaponised in 2019. Their report found that cyber weapons were used to carry out numerous military operations last year. In addition, the number of state-sponsored attackers is on the rise. Jaishankar believes that since the MEA is a stakeholder in national security, it’s only logical that it should oversee technology that could pose a potential threat. “There are technologies that are strategic in nature and it’s important for a ministry that analyses foreign affairs, which contributes to national security, to have a set of people who are competent, trained and focused to analyse those strategically relevant technologies,” explained Jaishankar. His concerns seem valid in light of Lazarus — <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/heres-why-north-korean-hackers-attacked-indias-nuclear-power-plant/articleshow/72035492.cms">hackers based out of North Korea</a> — targeting Indian government institutions like the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant (<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/indian-nuclear-plant-hack-is-only-one-small-part-of-a-much-bigger-operation-according-to-a-cybersecurity-expert/articleshow/72033253.cms">KNPP</a>) in November last year. However, Group IB finds that two of seven new cyber-espionage groups in 2019 — BITTER and Sidewinder — were state-sponsored hackers based out of India. The strategic importance of technology varies Most people believe that technology which circumvents consent — like Pegasus spyware infiltrating WhatsApp accounts — are the biggest threats to national security due to their predatory nature. While that may be the primary determinant, Jaishankar feels technology can also become strategic on the basis of who’s using it. “There are technologies, which in the hands of strategic players, becomes strategic technology. Some of it is the nature of technology, some of it is the user of technology, deployment of technology and the intent of technology,” he said. So far, MEA’s new, emerging and strategic technologies (NEST) division said that it will monitor the implementation of 5G and artificial intelligence (AI). Its mandate, however, extends to developing India’s external technology policy in line with national security goals. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/cloud-5g-and-wetware-attacks-the-5-biggest-cybersecurity-threats-of-2020/articleshow/73054612.cms">Cloud, 5G and 'wetware' attacks — the 5 biggest cybersecurity threats of 2020</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/policy/news/rbis-new-cybersecurity-guidelines-are-pushing-indias-1574-urban-cooperative-banks-to-bring-digital-services-up-to-snuff/articleshow/72381380.cms">RBI's new cybersecurity guidelines are pushing India's 1,574 urban cooperative banks to bring digital services up to snuff</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/indian-nuclear-plant-hack-is-only-one-small-part-of-a-much-bigger-operation-according-to-a-cybersecurity-expert/articleshow/72033253.cms">Indian nuclear plant hack is only one small part of a much 'bigger' operation, according to a cybersecurity expert</a>

India’s foreign minister explains why the MEA needs a separate division to monitor emerging technology

The Information and Broadcasting ministry has ordered blocking of 20 channels on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/youtube-tv-regains-access-to-espn-fx-and-more-disney-channels/articleshow/88384438.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink">YouTube</a> and two websites over spreading "anti-India" propaganda and fake news on the internet. "In a closely coordinated effort between intelligence agencies and the Information and Broadcasting ministry, the ministry has ordered the blocking of 20 channels on YouTube and two websites spreading anti-India propaganda and fake news on the internet," the ministry said in a statement on Monday. The channels and websites belong to a coordinated disinformation network operating from Pakistan and spreading fake news about various sensitive subjects related to India. The channels were used to post divisive content in a coordinated manner on topics like Kashmir, Indian Army, minority communities in India, Ram Mandir, General Bipin Rawat etc, it added. Two separate orders - one for 20 <keyword id="1667970" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="youtube-channels" source="Orion">YouTube channels</keyword> directing YouTube, and the other for two news websites, requesting the Department of Telecom to direct the internet service providers for blocking of the news channels and portals. The Ministry has acted to secure the information space in India, and utilised emergency powers under the Rule 16 of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. The modus operandi of the anti-India disinformation campaign involved the Naya Pakistan Group (NPG), operating from Pakistan, having a network of YouTube channels, and some other standalone YouTube channels not related to NPG. The channels had a combined subscriber base of over 35 lakh, and their videos had over 55 crore views. Some of the YouTube channels of the Naya Pakistan Group (NPG) were being operated by anchors of Pakistani news channels. "These YouTube channels had also posted content on issues such as the farmers' protest, protests related to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, and tried to incite the minorities against the Government of India. It was also feared that these YouTube channels would be used to post content to undermine the democratic process of the upcoming elections in five states," the ministry said. The Ministry observed that most of the content pertains to subjects sensitive from the perspective of national security and are factually incorrect, and are being mainly posted from Pakistan as a coordinated disinformation network (as in the case of Naya Pakistan Group) against India and thus deemed it fit for action under the provisions to block content in case of emergency.

Ministry of I&B orders blocking of 20 YouTube channels, 2 websites for spreading 'anti-India' propaganda

After the RBI refused to share <keyword id="6355303" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bank-of-India">Bank Of India</keyword>’s <keyword id="6355008" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="money-laundering">money laundering</keyword> inspection reports with Central Economic Intelligence Bureau (CEIB), an apex intelligence agency under the <keyword id="47209" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Finance-Ministry">Finance Ministry</keyword>, the <keyword id="53099" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Law-ministry">Law Ministry</keyword> has advised Bank of India directly to cooperate. 
 The matter of non-sharing of inspection reports was discussed during a meeting of <keyword id="405461" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Economic-Intelligence-Council">Economic Intelligence Council</keyword> (EIC) headed by <keyword id="6355261" type="POSITION" weightage="40" keywordseo="Finance-minister">Finance Minister</keyword> <keyword id="42575" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Arun-Jaitley">Arun Jaitley</keyword>. It was then decided to refer to the matter to Law Ministry for advice, they said. 

	The Law Ministry has recently opined that the provisions in the Banking Regulations Act, 1949 and other banking laws do not restrain RBI from sharing extracts of inspection or scrutiny report with law enforcement agencies or CEIB. 
 

	The Ministry's advice has been communicated to the RBI. 
 

	The RBI was required to share relevant extracts of inspection reports with law enforcement agencies and CEIB to check black money and other financial crimes where gross violations of Know Your Customer (KYC) guidelines and Prevention of Money Laundering Act are noticed, sources said. 
 

	RBI has communicated to the CEIB that it is examining the matter in consultation with its legal department. The RBI may share extracts of inspection reports with the bureau, the sources said. 
 

	RBI had objected to sharing the reports with CEIB on the ground that the latter was not a statutory body. The central bank, however, was sharing these reports with Intelligence Bureau (IB), which is also not a statutory body, they said. 
 

	The matter of misuse of Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs), over which there is dual control by central and state governments, for money laundering has been a matter of concern for central intelligence agencies. Violations of banking laws by other banks have also been noticed, the sources said. 
 

	A total of 489 UCBs have come under the scanner of RBI, which has issued instructions to its regional offices to undertake scrutiny to ascertain compliance with Know Your Customer norms, besides Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism guidelines, they said.

Bank of India advised by Law Ministry to share money
laundering case reports

India sure is feeling a little unsettled with <keyword id="1334" type="COUNTRY" weightage="80" keywordseo="China">China</keyword> having just doled out $46bn to Pakistan. No wonder this and <keyword id="71" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="Prime-Minister">Prime Minister</keyword> <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword>'s visit to China next month, is compelling the government not only to consider extending e-tourist <keyword id="6359421" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Visa">visa</keyword> facility to China, but also discussing its removal from the list of 'prior reference category' countries for conference visa and doing away with restriction of two-month interval between visits by Chinese nationals on tourist visa. 
 
Incidentally, though intelligence agencies maintain their reservations over easing of tourist visa norms for Chinese nationals, there is a realization within the home ministry that keeping China out of the list of 150 countries that will be granted e-tourist visa facility this fiscal would send a wrong signal. 
 
MHA frowns over 'visa on arrival' for Chinese tourists, brushes aside tourism ministry plan 
 
The home ministry, which reviewed the matter on Monday but failed to firm up its stand in the wake of stiff opposition from RAW and IB, will hold a final discussion with the foreign ministry later this week and place its comments "for final clearance at the highest level," government sources told TOI. 
 
According to intelligence agencies, allowing e-tourist visa, easing of the two-month restriction on consecutive visits made on tourist visas and doing away with the norm requiring home ministry's clearance for each conference visa application by a Chinese national was fraught with risks. The agencies cited overstay by Chinese citizens in India as well as past instances of some taking to spying. 
 
China excited about India's visa-on-arrival plan 
 However, there were counter-arguments as well at the meeting chaired by <keyword id="6447470" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="home-secretary">home secretary</keyword> L C Goyal. "There are bound to be protests from China if it is kept out of the list of countries eligible for e-tourist visa. Given that the list is set to include Algeria and Nigeria, both of which have a significant presence of terrorist elements, India will have to explain why China should be denied e-tourist visa on security grounds," a home ministry official said. 
 
China keeps India out of visa-free transit policy 
 
As for the fear of overstay, the official said Nigerians were a far bigger threat, as 1,589 of them were found to be overstaying in 2013 compared to 357 Chinese nationals. Sources said there was a strong likelihood of the intelligence agencies' reservations being overruled at the highest level, paving the way for an easier visa regime with China ahead of Modi's visit. This would include streamlining of normal visa regime with China based on reciprocity.

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The likes of Hotstar, Netflix and even news content providers will now be regulated by the I&B Ministry, contrary to what the platforms would like

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