DPIIT extends Generative AI–copyright consultation deadline to February 6

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade has extended the public consultation period on its proposed policy framework examining the intersection of generative artificial intelligence and copyright law by 30 days, allowing stakeholders to submit responses until February 6, 2026. The consultation was initially scheduled for 30 days starting December 9, 2025, following the release of Part I of a working paper outlining the government’s preliminary views on how existing copyright law applies to the training and commercial deployment of generative AI models.

The extension signals the government’s intent to widen industry, creator and expert participation on an issue with significant implications for India’s digital economy, creative sectors and emerging AI ecosystem. The working paper reflects the recommendations of an eight-member committee constituted on April 28, 2025, to assess whether the current legal framework sufficiently addresses copyright challenges arising from generative AI and to suggest changes where necessary.

The committee reviewed several global policy approaches, including blanket exemptions, text and data mining exceptions with or without opt-out provisions, voluntary licensing and extended collective licensing. It raised concerns about the suitability of each model in the Indian context, citing enforcement challenges, high transaction costs, legal uncertainty and risks of imbalance between creators’ rights and technological innovation.

The paper rejects a zero-price licence approach, noting that unrestricted use of copyrighted works without compensation could weaken incentives for human creativity. Instead, it proposes a hybrid licensing framework that allows AI developers to access lawfully available content for training under a blanket licence, with royalty obligations arising only at the commercialisation stage. Royalty rates would be set by a government-appointed committee, subject to judicial review, and administered through a centralised collection and distribution mechanism.

Stakeholders are expected to use the extended consultation period to provide detailed feedback that will shape the next phase of India’s AI and copyright policy development.