Government Denies Making Fresh Demand to Block Access to Global Wire Agency's X Account

The Indian government clarified it had not requested the blocking of certain X accounts, including Reuters, in the country. This statement followed claims by X, owned by Elon Musk, that India sought to block over 2,300 accounts on July 3, including Reuters. The government stated it acted swiftly to have the block on Reuters lifted.

On Saturday night, Reuters' X account became inaccessible in India due to a legal demand. However, the government quickly intervened, requesting X to restore access. Sources suggested this might relate to a previous request during Operation Sindoor in May. Despite this, Reuters was not blocked at that time.

Government's Response to Blocking Allegations

The Ministry of Electronics and IT spokesperson stated that no new blocking orders were issued on July 3, 2025. The government had no plans to block major international news channels like Reuters. Once Reuters was blocked on X, the government immediately contacted X to reverse the action.

X claimed that on July 3, 2025, the Indian government ordered the blocking of 2,355 accounts under Section 69A of the IT Act. This included international news outlets like @Reuters and @ReutersWorld. Non-compliance could lead to criminal liability.

Efforts to Restore Access

The government engaged with X from late July 5, 2025, persistently pursuing the unblocking of URLs. Despite technical challenges cited by X, the government followed up hourly until Reuters and other URLs were unblocked after 9 pm on July 6, 2025. It took over 21 hours for X to comply.

X's Global Affairs account claimed that the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology demanded immediate action without explanation. Accounts were to remain blocked until further notice. X expressed concern over press censorship in India and explored legal options.

Legal Challenges and Concerns

X urged affected users to seek legal remedies through courts as it faced restrictions under Indian law in challenging executive orders. The government spokesperson denied X's claims about seeking account blocks.

Reuters' account was withheld for a few hours but restored later on Sunday after government intervention. Official accounts of Chinese media Global Times and Turkish TRT World were also blocked but deemed unnecessary by the government.

During Operation Sindoor, some major media accounts like Chinese Xinhua News remained accessible without disruption. The government's proactive approach ensured minimal impact on international news channels during this period.

With inputs from PTI