Govt didn’t ask X to block Reuters, calls it technical glitch
Sources said the govt did not ask X to block Reuters’ account in the country, calling the restriction a technical error the government is working to resolve with the platform.
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A day after Reuters’ primary X account appeared blocked in India, the government said it had not requested the action and was seeking clarification from the social media platform. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said the blockage “appears to be a technical issue or confusion” on the part of X, formerly known as Twitter. “The government did not ask X to block Reuters,” the ministry said, adding that it had approached the company for an explanation. “So many other handles of Reuters are still available in India, which shows that the government wants Reuters in India.”
An official spokesperson confirmed that the government is working with X to resolve the issue. “There is no requirement from the Government of India to withhold the Reuters handle,” the spokesperson said.
The Reuters account on X was marked as “withheld” in India over the weekend, displaying a message that the action was taken “in response to a legal demand.” Reuters’ World account was also withheld in India under similar circumstances. However, other Reuters accounts, including those covering China, Asia, science, and business, remained accessible in the country.
Following Operation Sindoor, the Indian government issued a wave of takedown orders to remove posts and block accounts on X, citing national security concerns. At the time, X’s Global Government Affairs team reported it had received more than 8,000 such requests.
Reuters’ account was among the handles listed in those orders, but the directive was never enforced, according to officials.
“It appears X has now acted on that old order, which is a mistake on their part,” an official told PTI, adding that the matter was no longer relevant. The government has contacted X, seeking an explanation and requesting the account’s swift restoration.
Meanwhile, Elon Musk-owned X is challenging the government’s takedown powers under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act in the Karnataka High Court. During a recent hearing, X’s counsel argued that the government was misusing these powers, claiming the provision allowed “any Tom, Dick and Harry officer” to issue takedown orders.
