Why did India block Chinese and Turkish state media X (formerly Twitter) accounts?
The Government of India on 14 May 2025 blocked X (formerly Twitter) accounts of Turkish state broadcaster TRT World and Chinese state media outfits Global Times and Xinhua News. This step has been taken after Turkey’s support inside the be counted of drone intrusion into Indian airspace currently by means of Pakistan and unverified claims with the aid of Chinese media towards the Indian defense force. The Indian government has taken this motion, thinking about those accounts as a threat to countrywide protection and public order.
Turkey’s TRT World account blocked
The Indian government has suspended the X account of the Turkish state broadcaster TRT World. This was done while Pakistan verified the use of Turkish-origin drones to intrude into Indian airspace. The Indian government suspended the account of TRT World, deeming it a national security risk.
Blocking of China’s Global Times and Xinhua News accounts
India has also banned X amount of money owed to China’s national media retailers Global Times and Xinhua News. These organizations have been accused of disseminating unverified and false statistics about India’s militia. The Indian government has taken this action due to the fact it considers it a risk to countrywide protection and public order.
India’s digital policy and control over social media
Indian authorities have enforced tighter digital policy against the growing power of social media platforms. Before also, numerous Chinese applications like TikTok, WeChat, and UC Browser had been banned by the Indian government in regards to national security. X (formerly Twitter) also needs to comply with government orders, owing to which the platform is observing growing censorship.
X (formerly Twitter)’s response
X (formerly Twitter) has disapproved of this action of the Indian government. The platform stated that it will suspend these accounts in India alone, but this action goes against freedom of expression. X has termed the orders of the Indian government as an instance of absence of transparency and arbitrary censorship.
Impact on India-China and India-Turkey relations
India’s blocking of these media accounts may escalate digital and diplomatic tensions between the two nations. Experts say that this action is due to a lack of trust between the two nations and may be detrimental to bilateral relations in the future.
Conclusion
The Indian government has blocked X accounts of Turkish and Chinese government media on grounds of national security and public order. This action is one of the measures India has taken under its tough digital policy against the increasing spread of disinformation by foreign media. Even though X (previously Twitter) has protested against this step, the Indian government has labeled it as a step in the right direction. This move can have a major effect on India’s digital policy and diplomatic relations.
June 19, 2025