The Indian government reportedly ordered social media platform X to block 2,355 accounts, including those of Reuters and Reuters World, under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, on July 3, 2025.
The directive demanded immediate action within one hour, without justification, and required the accounts to remain blocked until further notice.
X complied but faced public backlash, prompting the government to request the restoration of Reuters accounts.
India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology denied issuing any new blocking orders on July 3, 2025, and stated it had no intention of targeting prominent international news outlets.
The ministry claimed it acted swiftly to request X to unblock Reuters and Reuters World, engaging with the platform from late July 5, 2025.
Despite these efforts, the ministry noted that X delayed unblocking the accounts for over 21 hours, citing technical issues.
The incident has fueled concerns about press censorship in India, with X expressing deep concern over the government’s actions.
The platform is exploring legal options but noted that Indian law restricts its ability to challenge such orders directly.
This controversy highlights ongoing tensions between India’s government and social media platforms regarding content regulation and freedom of expression.