India's Government Orders X to Block Reuters Accounts, Raises Censorship Concerns

X, formerly Twitter, has raised censorship concerns in India after receiving a government order to block 2,355 accounts, including those of Reuters. The order was issued earlier this month, sparking concerns about press freedom in the country. X has stated that it is concerned about the implications of this order on freedom of speech and the ability of journalists to report on important stories.

Title: X's Censorship Concerns in India: 2,355 Accounts Blocked, Including Reuters

X, formerly known as Twitter, has raised significant concerns about press censorship in India after receiving a government order to block 2,355 accounts, including those of Reuters. The directive, issued on July 3, 2025, sparked widespread debate about freedom of speech and the ability of journalists to report on important stories.

The order, issued under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, required X to block the accounts immediately, without providing any justification. The company claimed that non-compliance could result in criminal liability. The accounts of Reuters and Reuters World were reportedly blocked on Sunday and later reinstated after public outcry and subsequent government intervention.

X's Global Government Affairs team posted on the platform, expressing alarm over the increasing press censorship in India. The company stated that it is exploring all legal options available to challenge these blocking orders. However, X is restricted by Indian law in its ability to bring legal challenges against these executive orders and urges affected users to pursue legal remedies through the courts.

The Indian government, through the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), denied issuing any such orders. An official spokesperson stated, "There is no requirement from the Government of India to withhold the Reuters handle. We are continuously working with X to resolve the problem." The government also clarified that it had not issued any fresh blocking order and that X took 21 hours to unblock the Reuters accounts after its request.

This incident is not the first time X has faced such restrictions in India. In early May, the platform's Global Government Affairs handle was blocked and later restored following similar government orders. X is currently pursuing legal action against the Indian government in the Karnataka High Court, challenging previous blocking orders issued under the IT Act, 2000.

The company has also filed a plea to amend its existing petition to challenge Rule 3(1)(d) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. This provision empowers the government to direct online intermediaries to remove content.

The Indian government has long been criticized for its approach to content removal and censorship, with rights groups and international bodies expressing concern about the threat to freedom of expression and free press in the country. India, the world's largest democracy, ranks among the top five countries for the number of government requests to remove social media content.

References:
[1] https://newsarenaindia.com/nation/india-ordered-block-on-2300-accounts-including-reuters-says-x/49682
[2] https://www.business-standard.com/india-news/centre-refutes-claims-says-x-took-21-hours-to-unblock-reuters-accounts-125070801172_1.html
[3] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/7/8/deeply-concerned-over-india-press-censorship-says-x-as-accounts-blocked