X's Global Government Affairs Account Blocked in India Amid Rising Tensions

Account Blocked Following Legal Demands

The Global Government Affairs account of social media platform X was restricted in India on Friday.

The webpage indicated that the account was "withheld in [India] in response to a legal demand."

This action followed X's announcement that it had begun blocking over 8,000 accounts in India after receiving directives from the Union government.

The account restrictions were implemented amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, particularly after a terror incident in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22.

X's Global Government Affairs unit stated that the Indian government had issued orders necessitating the blocking of these accounts, warning of potential penalties, including hefty fines and imprisonment for local employees.

These directives included requests to restrict access to accounts belonging to international news organizations and notable users on X.

According to the statement, "In most cases, the Indian government has not specified which posts from an account have violated India’s local laws." It further noted, "For many accounts, we did not receive any evidence or justification for the blocks."

The platform, led by billionaire Elon Musk, confirmed that it would restrict the specified accounts solely within India to adhere to the orders.

However, the platform expressed disagreement with the Indian government's demands, stating, "Blocking entire accounts is not only unnecessary, it amounts to censorship of existing and future content, and is contrary to the fundamental right of free speech."

It emphasized, "This is not an easy decision, but maintaining the platform's accessibility in India is crucial for users to access information."

X also highlighted the importance of making government orders public for transparency, stating, "Lack of disclosure discourages accountability and can contribute to arbitrary decision-making." However, due to legal constraints, the platform is currently unable to publish the executive orders.

The company is exploring legal options available to it, noting, "Unlike users in India, X is limited by Indian law in its ability to challenge these executive orders." It encouraged affected users to seek legal recourse.

X has received executive orders from the Indian government requiring X to block over 8,000 accounts in India, subject to potential penalties including significant fines and imprisonment of the company’s local employees. The orders include demands to block access in India to…

— Global Government Affairs (@GlobalAffairs) May 8, 2025

The statement from X's Global Government Affairs unit was released shortly after India blocked the social media accounts of at least four news portals, including Maktoob Media, The Kashmiriyat, Free Press Kashmir, and the U.S.-based Muslim, amid rising tensions with Pakistan.

These accounts were blocked following legal demands from the Indian government, as confirmed by both X and another social media platform, Instagram.

The accounts of Maktoob Media, Free Press Kashmir, and The Kashmiriyat were restricted on X, while Muslim was blocked on Instagram.

Despite these restrictions, the websites of all four news outlets remain accessible in India.

Platforms like Maktoob Media, Free Press Kashmir, and The Kashmiriyat have aimed to provide Muslim and Kashmiri perspectives on news, especially in light of the growing influence of Hindutva.

The news platform Muslim describes itself as an "independent media platform delivering Muslim news, stories, and coverage to our Ummah [global Muslim community]" and boasts around 6.7 million followers on Instagram, according to reports.

Previously, several social media accounts belonging to Pakistani politicians, actors, and cricketers, including former Prime Minister Imran Khan, former Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto, and singer Abida Parveen, were also banned in India.

On April 28, the Union government banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, accusing them of disseminating misinformation and content that could incite communal unrest. Major news outlets such as Dawn News, Samaa TV, and Geo News were among those affected.