X Raises Alarm Over 'Press Censorship' In India After Reuters Accounts Temporarily Blocked

Elon Musk-owned social media platform X (formerly Twitter) has expressed "deep concern" over what it calls “ongoing press censorship” in India, after accounts belonging to global news agency Reuters were temporarily withheld in the country last week.

In a statement posted Tuesday by X's Global Government Affairs team, the platform said that on July 3, it received a directive from the Indian government to block 2,355 accounts under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, a list that included Reuters and Reuters World. The platform said it was given only one hour to comply and was not provided with any justification for the action.

“The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology demanded immediate action within one hour without providing justification, and required the accounts to remain blocked until further notice,” X said in the post.

X added that it complied with the directive to avoid potential legal consequences, noting that failure to do so could have exposed the company to criminal liability in India. The platform emphasized that it is exploring legal avenues to challenge the orders but noted its limited ability under Indian law to do so directly.

“We are deeply concerned about ongoing press censorship in India due to these blocking orders,” the company said. “Unlike users located in India, X is restricted by Indian law in its ability to bring legal challenges against these executive orders. We urge affected users to pursue legal remedies through the courts.”

The accounts of Reuters and Reuters World were restored within 24 hours after what X described as "public outcry" over the move. The company claims the Indian government subsequently requested that the accounts be unblocked.

However, Indian government officials have offered a conflicting account of the events. A spokesperson from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology stated there was no government directive to block Reuters' account on July 3. They added that the ministry "immediately wrote to X" requesting the accounts be restored as soon as they were made aware of the issue.

Sources within the ministry, speaking on condition of anonymity, suggested the temporary account blocks may have been the result of a technical error rather than a formal censorship order.

In addition to Reuters, accounts belonging to other international news outlets including Turkey’s TRT World and China’s Global Times were also reportedly inaccessible in India around the same time. These accounts too were restored within 24 hours.

The incident has reignited debate about digital freedom and press censorship in India, with critics pointing to a growing number of takedown requests and content restrictions involving news and dissenting voices on social media platforms.

Section 69A of the IT Act allows the Indian government to block online content deemed a threat to national security, public order, or the sovereignty of the country. However, critics argue that the provision lacks transparency and judicial oversight, leading to concerns about overreach and misuse.

While this is not the first time X has publicly challenged takedown orders in India, the inclusion of prominent international news organizations like Reuters has drawn global attention to the issue.

As legal and diplomatic conversations continue behind the scenes, the episode has raised fresh questions about the balance between national regulation, platform accountability, and press freedom in one of the world’s largest digital markets.