PhonePe and the Digital Publisher Content Grievances Council (DPCGC), a Level II self-regulatory organisation (SRO) formed under the IT Rules, 2021 and registered with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening regulatory compliance across India's fast-expanding over-the-top (OTT) ecosystem. The agreement was announced on 9 October 2026 in New Delhi.

What the Partnership Covers

Under the MoU, the two organisations will work together to facilitate seamless SRO certification for OTT merchants onboarding onto PhonePe's Payment Gateway, drive regulatory education, and raise awareness about grievance redressal obligations. Under applicable Indian regulations, OTT platforms — classified as Publishers of Online Curated Content (OCCPs) — are legally required to be members of a recognised SRO for grievance redressal purposes.

PhonePe has already embedded this requirement as a mandatory prerequisite in its merchant onboarding process, making it one of the few payment platforms to enforce SRO membership compliance at the gateway level.

Addressing a Compliance Gap in the OTT Sector

Both parties acknowledge that awareness of SRO compliance obligations remains limited among OTT and OCCP operators, particularly smaller platforms navigating a regulatory landscape that has evolved rapidly since the IT Rules came into effect. The joint initiative will target both existing and prospective merchants, guiding them through the DPCGC certification process.

DPCGC operates under the aegis of the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and serves as a recognised self-regulatory body for online content publishers. This collaboration expands the council's outreach by leveraging PhonePe's extensive merchant network across India's digital payments infrastructure.

What the Stakeholders Said

Dr. Subho Ray, President of IAMAI, said: 'DPCGC, established under the IT Rules, is committed to efficiently addressing concerns and grievances related to OTT platforms through self-regulation. This collaboration between DPCGC and PhonePe will foster greater alignment and adherence to the Code of Ethics, expanding the reach of self-regulation and strengthening its benefits for both the industry and its users.'

Deep Agrawal, Head of Payments at PhonePe, noted that compliance and trust are central to the platform's operations. He added that the OTT segment has seen a significant surge in coverage and penetration over recent years, and that the MoU with DPCGC would allow PhonePe to educate OTT platforms and 'drive higher awareness about customer grievance redressal, reinforcing PhonePe as the most trusted and compliant growth partner for India's booming OTT ecosystem.'

Why This Matters for India's OTT Landscape

India's OTT market has grown into one of the world's largest by subscriber base, with platforms ranging from global majors to regional-language streaming services. Regulatory compliance — particularly around content grievance mechanisms — has become a focal point for the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting as it works to bring greater accountability to digital content publishers.

By embedding compliance verification directly into the payment gateway onboarding flow, PhonePe's approach creates a structural incentive for OTT platforms to register with an SRO, rather than relying on voluntary self-regulation alone. This positions the fintech as an unlikely but effective enforcement node within India's broader digital content governance framework.

The partnership is expected to expand DPCGC's membership base and deepen the practical reach of the IT Rules, 2021, as more merchants seek payment gateway access through PhonePe's growing ecosystem.