PhonePe and the Digital Publisher Content Grievances Council (DPCGC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen regulatory compliance across India’s OTT ecosystem. Announced on October 8, 2026, the partnership aims to make SRO certification easier for merchants, promote regulatory adherence and drive merchant education among all partners onboarding on PhonePe’s Payment Gateway.
Under Indian regulations, OTT platforms, formally known as Publishers of Online Curated Content, must be members of a recognised self-regulatory organisation for grievance redressal. PhonePe already makes this a mandatory prerequisite during merchant onboarding. DPCGC is a Level II SRO formed under the IT Rules, 2021, functioning under the aegis of the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) and registered with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Recognising that many OTT platforms have limited awareness of SRO compliance, the two organisations will jointly educate both existing and prospective merchants on the requirements. They will also help merchants complete their SRO certification through DPCGC. The initiative further positions PhonePe as a trusted and compliant payments partner for a fast-growing segment.
IAMAI President Dr. Subho Ray said the collaboration will foster greater alignment with the Code of Ethics and widen the reach of self-regulation for both industry and users. Deep Agrawal, Head of Payments at PhonePe, said compliance and trust sit at the core of everything the company builds. He added that the OTT segment has grown rapidly in recent years, and the MoU will help platforms better understand customer grievance redressal.
