X Counters Government: Says It Was Ordered to Block Reuters, 2,000+ Accounts

X Alleges Government Ordered Reuters Block, Centre Denies: Censorship Row Deepens.

A fresh clash has erupted between the Indian government and Elon Musk-owned social media platform X over content blocking orders, as the platform claims it was directed to take down over 2,000 accounts, including those linked to international news agency Reuters, while the government strongly denies issuing any such order.

X’s Claim: “Received Orders on July 3 to Block 2,355 Accounts”
In a post from its Global Government Affairs handle on Tuesday, X stated that on July 3, it received an order from the Indian government under Section 69A of the IT Act to block 2,355 accounts, which allegedly included handles associated with Reuters and other international outlets.

“Non-compliance risked criminal liability. The Ministry of Electronics and IT demanded immediate action within an hour, without justification,” X wrote, adding that it was required to keep the accounts blocked “until further notice.”

The platform further expressed deep concern over what it called “ongoing press censorship in India”, claiming it is exploring legal options while urging affected users to challenge the executive orders in Indian courts.

Centre Denies: “No Order Issued to Block Reuters”
Pushing back against X’s statement, the IT Ministry said that no fresh blocking directive was issued on July 3, 2025, and that the government “has no intention to block any prominent international news organisations, including Reuters.”

In fact, officials claim that as soon as X blocked Reuters and Reuters World on Saturday night, the government contacted the platform to reverse the action.

“X unnecessarily exploited technicalities involved around the process and didn’t unblock the URLs. After continuous follow-ups, Reuters was unblocked after 9 PM on July 6—more than 21 hours later,” the ministry said in an official statement.

The ministry had earlier maintained that “there is no requirement from the Government of India to withhold Reuters handles,” asserting it was working with X to resolve the issue.

The Backdrop: Operation Sindoor and Earlier Takedown Orders
The issue stems from content posted during Operation Sindoor in early May, when the government had ordered platforms to take down posts it believed were spreading misinformation or undermining military operations. At the time, X delayed enforcement of those takedowns, ministry sources allege.

During the crackdown, accounts linked to BBC Urdu, Outlook India, and others were also temporarily blocked — later unblocked following review. The ministry also claimed that many accounts it sought to restrict were tied to Pakistan and China.

On May 9, X had stated publicly that it received orders to block over 8,000 accounts, including those of prominent journalists and news organizations. It warned that refusal to comply could lead to fines and even imprisonment for local staff.

A specialized IT Ministry monitoring team, set up during the 2024 elections to counter misinformation, has reportedly been working around the clock since then to flag content for removal — particularly during national security operations.

Ongoing Dispute
The current exchange between the Indian government and X highlights rising tensions over digital censorship, press freedom, and the limits of executive power on online platforms.

As X and the government continue to trade claims, the incident raises renewed questions about transparency in content takedown orders — especially when they involve global news media.