India's government last week directly ordered social media website X, formerly known as Twitter, to block more than 2,000 accounts, including two belonging to Reuters News, X said on Tuesday in the context of what it calls the "ongoing press censorship" in India, Reuters reports.
Two Reuters News accounts - @Reuters and @ReutersWorld - were suspended for India users late on Saturday, and displayed a message saying they had been "withheld in IN (India) in response to a legal demand".
The Reuters accounts were restored on Sunday night, but the status of the others was unclear.
X, on its Global Government Affairs handle, wrote, "On July 3, 2025, the Indian government ordered X to block 2,355 accounts in India, including international news outlets like @Reuters and @ReutersWorld, under Section 69A of the IT Act. Non-compliance risked criminal liability.
"After public outcry, the government requested X to unblock @Reuters and @ReutersWorld.
"We are deeply concerned about ongoing press censorship in India due to these blocking orders. X is exploring all legal options available," it added
X's statement contradicts comments by a spokesperson for India's Press Information Bureau at the weekend, who said no government agency had made such a request.
Reuters could not determine what specific content the blocking demand referred to and why its removal was sought.
Section 69A of India's IT law allows the government to block public access to content "in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of the state".
Since orders issued under the section are confidential, there is little scope for a public reckoning.
India's censorship streak
The X accounts of Chinese paper Global Times and the Turkish public broadcaster TRT News were also removed for Indian audiences, presumably since the night of July 5, along with Reuters and Reuters World, in response to what the accounts cited as a "legal demand", reports The Wire.
The Wire, along with BBC Urdu and Outlook India, was among news outlets whose webpages or social media accounts were blocked at the time of 'Operation Sindoor', when India struck multiple targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, in response to the Pahelgam attack.
The aftermath of the Indian operation, which saw a streak of censorship, affected Bangladesh as well.
At least six verified YouTube pages belonging to six Bangladeshi TV channels – Jamuna TV, Ekattor TV, BanglaVision, Mohona TV, Somoy TV, and DBC News – were blocked at that time.
Human Rights groups have expressed concern that freedom of expression and press freedom in India have come under serious threat since Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office in 2014.
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