X pushes back as India demands bocking of Thousands of Accounts

The Indian government, led by Narendra Modi, has reportedly blocked the Global Government Affairs account of social media platform X (formerly Twitter) within India.

This action follows X’s refusal to fully comply with an order from New Delhi to block over 8,000 accounts.

X stated that it partially blocked the accounts. These accounts remain accessible outside of India. The platform explained that for many of the requested accounts, they “did not receive any evidence or justification” for a complete block.

In a statement, X’s Global Affairs Account said they would “withhold the specified accounts in India alone” to comply with the orders.

However, they clearly stated their disagreement with the Indian government’s demands.

X argued that

“blocking entire accounts is not only unnecessary, it amounts to censorship of existing and future content, and is contrary to the fundamental right of free speech.”

Mass Account Blocking Requested

X revealed that it received

“executive orders from the Indian government requiring X to block over 8,000 accounts in India.”

X has received executive orders from the Indian government requiring X to block over 8,000 accounts in India, subject to potential penalties including significant fines and imprisonment of the company’s local employees. The orders include demands to block access in India to…

— Global Government Affairs (@GlobalAffairs) May 8, 2025

The platform also highlighted the potential penalties for non-compliance, including “significant fines and imprisonment of the company’s local employees.”

Sources indicate that many of the targeted accounts belong to “international news outlets, public figures, and Pakistani organisations.”

X also noted that in “most cases, the Indian government has not specified which posts from an account violated local laws,” and for a “significant number of accounts, we received no evidence or justification.”

X Considers Legal Action

X announced it is “exploring all possible legal avenues available to the company.” The platform acknowledged that, unlike users in India, its ability to legally challenge these government orders is restricted by Indian law.

However, X encouraged users affected by the blocking orders to “seek appropriate relief from the courts.”

A Broader Context

The timing of India’s clampdown coincides with rising border tensions between India and Pakistan. Critics view the censorship move as part of a larger crackdown on dissenting voices and international perspectives supportive of Pakistan.

Despite pressure, X has chosen transparency over silence, bringing attention to freedom of speech concerns in India’s digital space.