X Blocks Over 8,000 Accounts in India Amid Government Orders, Raises Censorship Concerns

Social platform says it is complying under protest with Indian government’s directives, citing lack of legal clarity and voicing concern over free speech and transparency

New Delhi [India], May 9: Social media platform X (formerly Twitter) has confirmed receiving executive orders from the Indian government directing it to block access to more than 8,000 accounts in India. The company stated that failure to comply with these directives could result in heavy fines and imprisonment of its local employees.

According to a statement by X’s Global Government Affairs team, several of the targeted accounts belong to international news organizations and high-profile users. In many cases, X said, the Indian government did not specify the offending posts or provide legal justification for the blocks.

“To comply with the orders, we are initiating the process to withhold the specified accounts in India alone. However, we fundamentally disagree with the Indian government’s demands,” the company stated. “Blocking entire accounts is unnecessary, amounts to censorship, and undermines the fundamental right to free speech.”

While acknowledging the difficulty of the decision, X said it is prioritizing platform accessibility for Indian users. “Keeping X accessible in India is vital for the public’s access to information,” the statement added.

X also highlighted its inability to share the executive orders publicly due to legal constraints, a situation it criticized as lacking transparency and undermining accountability. The platform said it is exploring all legal options, though Indian law restricts X’s ability to challenge such directives in court. Affected users have been notified and encouraged to seek legal relief independently.

In the wake of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, particularly after the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, accounts belonging to Pakistani political leaders—such as Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and former Prime Minister Imran Khan—have also been suspended within India.

Users impacted by the bans have been directed to contact the Indian government’s cyber law division at cyberlaw@meity.gov.in.