The Indian government has delivered a strong message to Meta, stating that global technology companies operating in the country must comply with Indian laws and cannot rely on US legal standards while conducting business in India. The warning comes amid an ongoing dispute over Meta’s handling of a video featuring Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Government officials met Meta representatives for a second consecutive day, raising concerns over the platform’s content moderation practices, algorithmic decisions, and legal compliance. During the discussions, authorities reportedly questioned whether Meta fully recognizes and follows India’s legal framework while operating in the country.

The controversy began after Meta temporarily restricted a video posted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, later describing the incident as a technical error and restoring the content. The company subsequently apologized to the Indian government, but the incident triggered broader scrutiny of Meta’s operations in India.

Officials also raised wider concerns beyond the video incident, including the spread of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), deepfake content, bot activity, and the accountability of Meta’s artificial intelligence systems. According to government sources, these issues formed a significant part of the discussions with the company’s global team.

The Centre emphasized that all digital platforms must comply with Indian regulations regardless of where they are headquartered. Officials said companies cannot justify their actions by referring to foreign legal standards when their services are offered to Indian users.

Meta acknowledged that several operational challenges had been discussed with the government and reiterated its commitment to working closely with Indian authorities. The company said it would continue strengthening its systems and improving compliance with local laws and regulations.

The latest developments highlight increasing regulatory pressure on global social media companies in India, where authorities have been seeking stricter accountability over online content, user safety, and platform governance. Analysts say the outcome of these discussions could shape how international technology firms operate in one of their largest digital markets.