Jack Dorsey on Saturday said his messaging app Bitchat has been removed from Apple’s India App Store following a takedown order from India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
Dorsey shared a screenshot on X of an email reportedly sent by Apple’s App Review team, saying that the “government of India officially removes Bitchat from the App Store.” According to the notice, Apple was instructed to remove Bitchat from its India App Store after MeitY raised concerns that the app contained content considered illegal under Indian law.
The notice reportedly cited Section 69A of India’s Information Technology Act, 2000, as the legal basis for the takedown request. Apple said apps distributed through its platform must comply with the laws of the countries where they are available, and failure to meet local legal requirements can result in an app being removed.
Apple reportedly told the developer that Bitchat would remain available in other markets where it is offered. However, TestFlight beta versions would also no longer be available for testing in India, while public TestFlight links for the app would stop working in the country. Apple advised the developer to contact MeitY directly for more information about the request.
Bitchat is an offline messaging app that allows users to communicate through Bluetooth-based peer-to-peer networks without relying on an internet connection or central servers. The app is designed around decentralized communication, allowing nearby devices to connect directly.
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