India Blocks Chinese and Turkish News Outlets on Social Media

Blocking of News Accounts

On Wednesday, India took action by blocking the X accounts of several foreign news outlets, including the Chinese state-run publications Global Times and Xinhua, as well as the Turkish broadcaster TRT World. This decision was made following legal requests from the Indian government, as confirmed by the social media platform.

Global Times is an English-language publication linked to the People's Daily, which is under the ownership of the Chinese Communist Party. Xinhua serves as China's official state news agency. TRT World operates under the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation, which is the public broadcaster for Turkey.

The reasons behind the blocking of these accounts remain unclear. However, tensions had recently escalated between India and Pakistan, particularly after the Indian embassy in Beijing fact-checked a post from Global Times on May 7, labeling it as 'baseless.'

The embassy criticized the spread of misinformation by pro-Pakistan accounts, emphasizing the importance of responsible journalism and source verification.

Escalating Tensions in the Region

Tensions heightened on May 7 when the Indian military executed strikes, known as Operation Sindoor, targeting what it claimed were terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. This military action was a direct response to a terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of 26 individuals on April 22.

In retaliation, the Pakistan Army engaged in shelling Indian villages along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, leading to casualties that included at least 22 Indian civilians and eight defense personnel.

India's Stance on Arunachal Pradesh

On the same day, India firmly rejected China's recent attempts to rename locations in Arunachal Pradesh. The Ministry of External Affairs described these efforts as 'preposterous' and reiterated that the northeastern state is an integral part of India.

This is not the first instance of such objections; in April 2024, India had previously protested against China's issuance of standardized names for 30 locations in Arunachal Pradesh. The Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs had released several lists of names for various places in the region over the years, which India has consistently rejected.

China claims a significant portion of Arunachal Pradesh, referring to it as 'South Tibet,' a claim that India disputes.