X vs Government: Platform Says Reuters, 2,000+ Accounts Targeted in Takedown Order

X Says Govt Ordered Reuters Takedown, Centre Denies Issuing Any Such Directive.

A new flashpoint has emerged between social media platform X (formerly Twitter) and the Indian government, after X claimed it received legal orders on July 3 to block 2,355 accounts in India, including those belonging to international news agency Reuters. The Indian government has firmly denied the claim, stating it gave no such instruction on that date.

X Alleges Urgent Takedown Request Under IT Act
In a statement posted via its Global Government Affairs handle, X said the blocking order was issued under Section 69A of the IT Act, with a demand for compliance within one hour and no justification provided.

“Non-compliance risked criminal liability… The Ministry of Electronics and IT demanded immediate action and required the accounts to remain blocked until further notice,” the company said.

X added that it was “deeply concerned” about the state of press freedom in India, and while it is exploring legal avenues, it encouraged affected users to seek court remedies directly.

Government Responds: ‘No New Order Issued on July 3’
The Ministry of Electronics and IT has rejected the claims, saying no fresh blocking directive was sent on July 3 and that the government has “no intention to block any prominent international news organisation,” including Reuters.

“As soon as Reuters accounts were found blocked, the government immediately contacted X and urged unblocking,” said an official spokesperson.
“X took over 21 hours to act, citing technicalities, despite continuous engagement from our end.”

The government insists it did not issue any order specifically targeting Reuters and said the unblocking happened only after sustained follow-up on July 6.

Background: Earlier Orders Linked to Operation Sindoor
The controversy traces back to Operation Sindoor in May 2025, when the government asked X to remove posts it believed spread misinformation and undermined the Armed Forces. While many accounts linked to Pakistan and China were targeted, accounts from Indian media outlets like BBC Urdu and Outlook India were also briefly blocked, then reinstated.

Earlier on May 9, X publicly disclosed that it had received Indian government orders to block over 8,000 accounts, including those belonging to news organisations and high-profile users. X warned then that failure to comply could lead to fines and even jail time for local staff.

A dedicated monitoring team at the IT Ministry, formed during the Lok Sabha elections, has been overseeing social media content takedowns — particularly during security-related operations.

Censorship, Transparency Concerns Rise
This dispute has reignited concerns over transparency in content moderation, especially when involving global media organisations. As the standoff between X and the Centre unfolds, questions are being raised about due process, press freedom, and the role of tech platforms in national security matters.