Social media platform X (formerly Twitter) has said that it blocked approximately 8,000 accounts in India following orders from the Indian government amid the rising conflict with Pakistan.
According to a BBC report, the withheld accounts include prominent Pakistani news outlets such as Dawn and Geo TV, as well as several journalists.
In a statement shared via its Global Government Affairs account, X stated: “To comply with the orders, we will withhold the specified accounts in India alone. We have begun that process. However, we disagree with the Indian government’s demands.”
X’s own Global Government Affairs account was also briefly withheld in India before being reinstated.
The platform, owned by Elon Musk, said the decision to withhold accounts was difficult but necessary to maintain access to the platform for users in India.
It described the government’s orders as “unnecessary and amounting to censorship,” adding that it was “exploring all possible legal avenues.”
X is already involved in a legal battle with the Indian government over previous censorship directives, accusing authorities of misusing legal provisions to suppress online content.
In a related development, Indian media outlet The Wire, known for its critical stance on the government, claimed that access to its website had been blocked by internet service providers under directives from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.
It called the move “blatant censorship.” The Indian government has yet to comment on the matter.