The brief blocking of Reuters's official X (formerly Twitter) handle in India sparked confusion and concern on Sunday, especially given the prominent role the global news agency plays in disseminating international news. However, the Indian government has denied issuing any new legal request to enforce this action, calling it a “mistake” by X (formerly Twitter) and is now actively seeking its reversal.
What happened:
-
On Sunday, users in India found that the @Reuters handle and @ReutersWorld were inaccessible, showing a standard platform message:
“Account withheld in IN in response to a legal demand.”
-
In contrast, affiliated accounts like @ReutersAsia, @ReutersTech, and @ReutersFactCheck remained accessible.
-
This sudden restriction raised immediate concerns of censorship and suppression of press freedom, especially since no public notice or explanation was initially issued by authorities.
Government’s response:
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) swiftly issued a clarification:
“There is no requirement from the Government of India to withhold the Reuters handle. We are continuously working with ‘X’ to resolve the problem.”
Government sources, speaking to PTI, elaborated further:
-
A prior legal order dated May 7 — reportedly issued during Operation Sindoor (India’s mission to evacuate nationals from conflict zones like Gaza) — had named Reuters.
-
That order, however, was not enforced at the time and officials now say that X enforced it belatedly and mistakenly.
The government has since:
-
Reached out to X, asking it to lift the ban immediately.
-
Sought a detailed explanation from the platform for the sudden enforcement.
Broader Context:
-
Reuters had published coverage during Operation Sindoor that reportedly included sensitive details about the Indian Air Force’s involvement in Gaza, which may have triggered the May 7 order.
-
Country-specific content takedowns are not uncommon on X. The platform says it complies with “valid legal demands” under local laws, but such actions can sometimes be automatic or delayed.
-
X has previously clashed with Indian authorities over takedown orders related to political content, protest coverage, and international reporting.
Implications:
-
The temporary ban on Reuters’s main handle is being interpreted as a platform error, not an intentional act of censorship by the Indian government.
-
Still, the episode highlights:
-
The opaque nature of content takedown processes under India’s IT Rules.
-
How international media platforms remain vulnerable to sudden disruptions, even from old or ambiguous legal orders.
-
The ongoing tensions between tech platforms, governments, and global media in regulating what remains visible to domestic audiences.
-
As of now, Indian officials are working to restore access to Reuters’s main X account, and the platform is expected to respond with a formal explanation shortly.
