Elon Musk-owned social media platform X (formerly Twitter) said on Tuesday that it was directed by the Indian government to block 2,355 accounts, including global news agency Reuters and its official handle ReutersWorld.
According to a post by X’s Global Government Affairs team, the directive came on July 3, 2025, under Section 69A of the IT Act, which allows the government to issue takedown orders for content that threatens national security, public order, or sovereignty.
The platform claimed it was told to comply within one hour without any explanation and was warned of criminal liability for non-compliance.
“We are deeply concerned about ongoing press censorship in India due to these blocking orders,” said X, adding that it is exploring all legal options. The platform noted that it is restricted by Indian law from challenging such orders directly and urged affected users to seek legal redress through Indian courts.
The government reportedly later asked X to unblock the Reuters and ReutersWorld accounts, though it had previously denied any involvement in their suspension. A government official earlier stated, “There is no requirement from the Government of India to withhold Reuters’ handle. We are continuously working with X to resolve the problem.”
During the suspension, users in India who tried to access Reuters’ main handles saw a message that the accounts were withheld “in response to a legal demand.” Interestingly, other Reuters accounts—including Reuters Tech News, Reuters Fact Check, Reuters Asia, and Reuters China—remained accessible in India.
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