Why Did Apple Remove Jack Dorsey's Bitchat App from India’s App Store?

In a significant move, Apple has removed the Bitchat messaging app from its India App Store following a directive from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Jack Dorsey, the app's developer and co-founder of Twitter, confirmed this action in a post on X, sharing a notice from Apple that cited illegal content as the reason for the removal. This decision follows previous scrutiny of the app by the Indian government, which raised concerns about its potential misuse during protests and network restrictions. The implications of this removal highlight ongoing tensions between technology and regulatory compliance in India. Read on to explore the details surrounding this controversial decision.

By Narendra Chaudhary Oct 3, 2026, 21:33 IST

Apple Takes Action Against Bitchat

New Delhi: The Indian App Store has officially removed the offline messaging app Bitchat, following a directive from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), as confirmed by Jack Dorsey in a post on X.

Dorsey, co-founder of Twitter and developer of Bitchat, shared a screenshot of a notice from Apple indicating the app's removal due to its inclusion of content deemed illegal in India.

The app had previously faced scrutiny in July when the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre ordered GitHub to take it down, citing similar concerns.

In his recent post, Dorsey highlighted that the notice from Apple stated the app would be removed due to a request from MeitY, which claimed it violated local laws.

The notice emphasized that developers must adhere to all legal requirements in the regions where their apps are available, beyond just following Apple's guidelines.

The takedown was executed under Section 69(A) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the notice advised Dorsey to reach out to the ministry for further clarification regarding the removal.

While Bitchat is no longer available in India, it remains accessible in other regions, according to Apple.

Additionally, the TestFlight version of the app will also be unavailable for testing in India, rendering all public TestFlight links inactive.

Previously, during protests organized by the Cockroach Janta Party over exam paper leaks, Bitchat had come under fire, with Dorsey publicly criticizing the government's actions.

The Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre had expressed concerns that the app could facilitate communication during network restrictions, posing risks of misuse by anti-national groups and criminals.

The earlier notice indicated that such decentralized communication platforms could be exploited for unlawful activities, including organizing protests and spreading misinformation.

The lack of a centralized service provider complicates law enforcement's ability to track communications and gather necessary information during investigations.

The design of Bitchat, which allows communication even amid network restrictions, raises significant concerns about its potential misuse by various malicious entities, as outlined in the notice.