India has blocked the X (formerly Twitter) account of TRT World, a Turkish government-funded international news outlet, accusing it of amplifying misinformation and propaganda against India's national interests.
When users in India attempt to access the profile of TRT world, a message now reads: "Account Withheld. This account has been withheld in India in response to a legal demand."
The latest measures come amid heightened tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, and India's subsequent retaliatory military action, dubbed Operation Sindoor, against terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
On May 8, social media platform X confirmed that it had received executive orders from the Indian government to block access to over 8,000 accounts within Indian jurisdiction. The platform stated that failure to comply could lead to substantial financial penalties and criminal liability for its local employees. The directives were issued under the Information Technology Act and included accounts operated by international media organisations and influential users.
Global Government Affairs, the regulatory and policy arm of X, publicly acknowledged the receipt of these legal demands, noting that it had complied while also communicating its concerns regarding freedom of expression.
While no official list of all blocked accounts has been released by Indian authorities, a number of high-profile handles, including those of TRT World, and Chinese state-backed Global Times and Xinhua, and Pakistani political figures, have been restricted within India.
The blocking of TRT World's X account coincides with a growing sentiment in India favouring a boycott of Turkish products and services. This has gained momentum after it was revealed that Pakistan deployed Turkish-origin Songar drones during its attempted strikes against Indian infrastructure.
TRT World has been under the scanner for what officials describe as consistent coverage sympathetic to separatist elements and critical of India's domestic and foreign policy decisions.
