X Contradicts Centre On Reuters Ban, Says India Ordered ‘Immediate’ Block On July 3
The controversy over the temporary blocking of news agency Reuters’s account in India has taken a new turn, with social media giant X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday directly contradicting the Indian government’s version of events. In a public statement, X claimed it was ordered by the Indian government on July 3 to block 2,355 accounts, including those of Reuters, with a demand for “immediate action.”
This claim refutes the government’s position from Sunday, when it had denied making any new request and had blamed the blocking on a “mistake” by X in enforcing an old order from May.
In a post from its ‘Global Government Affairs’ handle, X said, “On July 3, 2025, the Indian government ordered X to block 2,355 accounts in India, including international news outlets like @Reuters and @ReutersWorld, under Section 69A of the IT Act. Non-compliance risked criminal liability.”
The company added that the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) had demanded action “within one hour – without providing justification, and required the accounts to remain blocked until further notice.”
The main X account of Reuters was blocked for users in India over the weekend, sparking a public outcry. The government had then stated that it had not issued any new order and was working with X to resolve the problem. The account was subsequently restored.
However, X’s statement on Tuesday has reignited the issue, with the company also expressing serious concerns over freedom of the press.
“We are deeply concerned about ongoing press censorship in India due to these blocking orders. X is exploring all legal options available,” the platform stated, urging affected users to pursue legal remedies through the courts.
The government is yet to respond to X’s latest and very specific claims, which have brought the contentious issue of government takedown orders and social media compliance back into the spotlight.
