Reuters’ X Accounts Briefly Blocked in India Amid Legal Confusion
A wave of controversy swept across India this weekend after users were temporarily unable to access the main and global X (formerly Twitter) accounts of Reuters, one of the world’s leading news agencies.
❗ Blocked Due to “Legal Demand” — Then Reversed
Starting Saturday evening, Indian users visiting @Reuters and @ReutersWorld encountered a message stating that the content had been withheld “in response to a legal demand.” The brief restriction sparked confusion and concern over press freedom and digital censorship.
🌐 Other Foreign News Outlets Also Affected
Reuters wasn’t the only media outlet impacted. Accounts belonging to:
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TRT World (Turkey)
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Global Times (China)
were also briefly restricted in India, fueling speculation about a broader clampdown on foreign media voices—possibly in connection to fallout from the failed “Operation Sindoor.”
🏛️ Indian Government Denies Involvement
However, the Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) promptly denied issuing any new blocking directive. In a statement, officials clarified:
“There is no requirement from the Government of India to withhold Reuters handle. The matter is being taken up with X to resolve the issue.”
Sources suggest the restriction may have resulted from an outdated legal order from May 2025, which was inadvertently enforced by X over the weekend.
✅ Access Restored by Sunday
By Sunday evening, access to @Reuters and @ReutersWorld was fully restored for Indian users. Other Reuters-affiliated accounts, such as Reuters Tech News and Reuters Asia, remained unaffected throughout the incident.
📌 Key Takeaways
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🔒 Reuters’ X accounts were temporarily blocked in India due to a legal confusion
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❌ Government denies issuing any recent takedown orders
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🛠️ X and Indian authorities are coordinating to prevent such errors in the future
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📲 Access to the accounts was restored within 24 hours
Stay tuned for updates as global tech and government policies continue to intersect with digital freedom and media access.
