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Key Points

The Indian government clarified it did not order the blocking of Reuters' X account, calling the issue outdated. Officials suggest X may have mistakenly enforced an old national security directive from May. While Reuters' main handle was withheld, affiliated accounts remain accessible. The government is working with X to resolve the matter promptly.

Key Points: India Denies Order to Block Reuters X Account Amid Censorship Concerns

  • Govt denies issuing fresh order to block Reuters X account
  • Block appears linked to outdated May 7 national security directive
  • X may have mistakenly enforced old order
  • Several Reuters-affiliated accounts remain accessible in India
2 min read

Govt says there's no directive to block Reuters X handle in India

Indian govt clarifies no directive to withhold Reuters X handle, calls issue outdated as Musk's platform mistakenly enforces old order.

"There is no requirement from the Government of India to withhold Reuters handle. We are continuously working with X to resolve the problem. - Official Spokesperson"

New Delhi, July 6

The Government of India has clarified that it has not issued any order to withhold the X account of the international news agency Reuters in the country.

"There is no requirement from the Government of India to withhold Reuters handle. We are continuously working with X to resolve the problem," an official spokesperson said in a statement.

This clarification comes after Reuters' X account was found to be withheld in India, prompting concerns over press freedom and censorship. Users attempting to access the handle were shown a notice stating that the account had been withheld "in response to a legal demand".

Reuters confirmed the development earlier, saying it was seeking more information on why its handle was blocked in India.

According to officials familiar with the matter, the only request for blocking Reuters' X account was issued on May 7, during Operation Sindoor launched against Pakistan following the massacre of 26 Indian tourists in Pahalgam in an Islamabad-sponsored terrorist attack. This was a part of a national security exercise.

However, although several hundred accounts were blocked due to national security reasons, no action was implemented to block the Reuters handle on X despite the government order, the official said.

It appears that X, owned by Elon Musk, may have mistakenly enforced the outdated order.

"The issue is not relevant anymore. The government has reached out to X, asking them to explain the blocking and to lift the embargo," a senior official said.

Reuters has not issued any public statement on the issue.

Despite the block on Reuters' main and Reuters World handles, several affiliated accounts, including Reuters Tech News, Reuters Fact Check, Reuters Asia, and Reuters China, remain accessible within India.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
Maybe it was a technical glitch? X platform has been quite unstable lately. But government should clarify properly instead of giving confusing statements. #DigitalIndia
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Aditya G
During Operation Sindoor, many accounts were blocked for national security. Maybe Reuters was caught in that net by mistake. Better safe than sorry when it comes to our security.
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Sarah B
As an expat in India, I find this worrying. International media should have fair access. Hope this gets resolved soon and doesn't affect India's global image as a democracy.
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Karthik V
Why is X implementing old orders now? Elon Musk should get his house in order. This creates unnecessary confusion and makes India look bad internationally. Fix this ASAP!
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Neha E
At least government is clarifying now. But we need better systems to prevent such mistakes. Journalists should be able to do their work without unnecessary hurdles.

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