India’s Censorship Scandal Explodes: Reuters Blocked, Musk’s X Defies Modi’s Government
X’s Bombshell Exposes Modi’s MeitY in Global Press Freedom Firestorm
NEW DELHI, July 8, 2025 —A digital drama has erupted in India, thrusting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government into a global spotlight of shame. On July 3, 2025, India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) ordered X, now led by Elon Musk, to block 2,355 accounts—including international news agency like Reuters and Reuters World—under Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000. The order, delivered with a one-hour ultimatum and threats of criminal action, sparked chaos when Reuters’ accounts vanished in India for 24 hours from July 5 to 6.
X, the free-speech platform championed by Musk and recently backed by President Donald Trump’s vocal support for uncensored media, dropped a bombshell. MeitY offered zero justification for the mass blackout, demanding the accounts stay blocked indefinitely. When the public erupted, Modi’s government scrambled, denying any role and blaming a “technical glitch” tied to a May 2025 military operation, Operation Sindoor. But X’s detailed timeline exposed the lie, revealing MeitY’s desperate late-night calls on July 5 to unblock Reuters’ accounts, @Reuters and @ReutersWorld, amid global outrage.
Musk’s X didn’t hold back, slamming India’s “chilling censorship” and warning of a growing clampdown on press freedom. With only Reuters’ accounts restored, the fate of the other 2,353 accounts hangs in the balance. X, legally hamstrung under India’s strict laws, urged affected users to fight back in court, spotlighting Modi’s government as it faces accusations of silencing dissent.
This isn’t new—India’s censorship saga is infamous. A 2022 Internet Freedom Foundation report exposed 27,811 blocking orders from 2014 to 2020, targeting over 40,000 accounts and posts. X itself is battling Modi’s government in court, challenging Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act for enabling unchecked censorship. The clash, now dubbed “Musk vs. Modi” on X, has ignited global debates, with Trump’s allies cheering X’s defiance as a stand for free speech.
As Modi’s government squirms under international scrutiny, this scandal—fueled by Musk’s unapologetic transparency—has turned India’s press freedom claims into a global punchline.
X expressed alarm over “persistent press censorship” and noted its limited ability to challenge such orders under Indian law. It advised affected users to pursue legal action independently, as only Reuters’ accounts were restored, with the status of other blocked accounts uncertain.
MeitY’s denial was contradicted by X’s timeline, causing global embarrassment. Critics highlight a pattern of censorship, citing a 2022 Internet Freedom Foundation report noting 27,811 blocking orders in India from 2014 to 2020, targeting over 40,000 accounts or content pieces.
This incident follows X’s legal disputes with India, including a Karnataka High Court case challenging the misuse of Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act, which X argues enables arbitrary censorship without Section 69A’s safeguards.
The controversy exposes tensions between India’s claims of media freedom and actions critics say suppress press independence, spotlighting digital rights concerns globally.
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