The channel was launched in 2003 as a sister channel of the Hindi Aaj Tak news channel. It is one of the four news channels from the TV Today Network stable, the others being Aaj Tak, Tez and Delhi Aaj Tak.[3] Alok Verma was brought in as the Executive Producer to successfully launch TV Today group's foray into the English news channel category.[4][5] It aired and produced the animated political cartoon "So Sorry"; each episode satirizes recent events in the news featuring extremely dramatized versions of said events and hyper-caricaturized versions of political figures including Narendra Modi, Xi Jinping and Joe Biden.[6][7] In September 2015, media watchers flagged the channel for unethical use of footage[8] and sexist content.[9]
In October 2020, India Today was named in an FIR filed by Mumbai police in relation to a Fake TRP Ratings Scandal.[10] India Today was fined ₹5 lakh by Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) for manipulating viewership.[11] India Today admitted to being fined for viewership malpractice.[12] Bombay High Court directed TV Today Network to pay the fine imposed by BARC.[13][14]
In March 2018, Aaj Tak falsely claimed that Delhi High court had disqualified 20 MLAs of Aam Aadmi Party, various Indian news channels such as India Today, Aaj Tak, Republic TV, ANI and India TV also propagated the false claim.[15]