Broadcasters and streaming platforms in India pursue piracy aggressively, and the Delhi High Court has developed some of the world's most far-reaching remedies against it — from blocking orders against rogue websites to dynamic injunctions that follow pirates from domain to domain.
These proceedings also reach technology businesses that are not pirates: app developers, IPTV player software, hosting providers and platforms swept into broad orders. We have defended technology platforms and IPTV app developers in anti-piracy proceedings brought by a major Indian broadcaster before the Delhi High Court.
How broadcasters enforce against piracy
- Suits for infringement of copyright in films and programmes, and of broadcast reproduction rights in live broadcasts such as sporting events.
- Ex parte interim injunctions against identified rogue websites and unidentified 'John Doe' infringers.
- Directions to internet service providers, the Department of Telecommunications and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to block access.
- Dynamic injunctions, under which new mirror or redirect domains can be added to the blocking order on application, without a fresh suit.
- Directions to domain registrars, app stores and payment intermediaries to suspend services and disclose details of operators.
When technology businesses become defendants
Broad anti-piracy actions sometimes name or affect businesses whose products are capable of lawful use — media player software, IPTV player apps that play streams supplied by the user, hosting and CDN providers, and marketplaces. These matters raise questions that differ sharply from a straightforward rogue-website case:
- Does the software itself host, communicate or authorise the communication of infringing content, or does it merely play what a user supplies?
- Is the business an intermediary entitled to safe harbour under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act, and has it observed due diligence under the Intermediary Guidelines?
- Is a blocking or takedown order proportionate, or does it reach lawful use, lawful users or the developer's other products?
- Can the order be modified or vacated under Order XXXIX Rule 4 CPC, or appealed, and how quickly?
- What is the impact on app-store listings, payment gateways and business continuity while the case is pending?
Our experience
We have defended technology platforms and IPTV app developers in anti-piracy proceedings brought by a major Indian broadcaster before the Delhi High Court. This work requires explaining how streaming technology actually works to the court, separating the developer's product from third-party content, and protecting the client's lawful business while the litigation proceeds.
We also advise content owners and platforms on enforcement strategy and on compliance measures that reduce litigation risk.
If you have been named in an anti-piracy suit or order
- Obtain the full plaint, the interim order and the list of domains, apps or services covered.
- Preserve evidence of how your product works, what it hosts and what it does not.
- Act quickly: interim orders can affect app-store listings and payment services within days.
- Consider whether to seek modification, clarification or vacation of the order, and whether a negotiated undertaking is appropriate.
Frequently asked questions
What is a dynamic injunction?
An injunction that, once granted against infringing websites, can be extended to new mirror, redirect or alphanumeric variants of those sites by a simple application, without filing a new suit. The Delhi High Court first recognised it in 2019.
Can an IPTV app developer be liable if the app does not host any content?
It depends on the facts — how the app is built, marketed and used, and whether it facilitates access to infringing streams. These are contested questions, and the answer turns on technical evidence as much as on law.
Can a blocking order be challenged?
Yes. A party affected by an interim order can apply to modify or vacate it, or appeal to a Division Bench.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-20. This page gives general information about intellectual property litigation in India. It is not legal advice, and every matter turns on its own facts. References are to the Trade Marks Act, 1999, the Copyright Act, 1957, the Patents Act, 1970, the Commercial Courts Act, 2015 and the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (CPC), as applicable.