The main X (formerly Twitter) account of the international news agency Reuters has been blocked in India, triggering widespread attention on social media. Users attempting to access the @Reuters handle within India are met with a message stating: "@Reuters has been withheld in IN in response to a legal demand". The block took effect late Saturday night. Shortly after, the @ReutersWorld account also became inaccessible.
As of Sunday morning, neither Reuters nor the Indian government had issued an official statement clarifying the nature of the legal demand. The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (I&B) has also not addressed the restriction through official channels. However, sources suggest the government did not request the block and that it may be due to a technical issue.
Despite the block on the main accounts, several Reuters-affiliated X handles, including Reuters Tech News, Reuters Fact Check, Reuters Pictures, Reuters Asia, and Reuters China, remain accessible within India. The Reuters news website can still be accessed in India. The incident appears to be geo-specific, as the blocked accounts are still accessible from outside India. It is unclear whether the restriction is temporary or permanent.
X's content policy states that accounts or posts may be withheld in certain nations if the platform receives a "valid legal demand," such as a court order or request under local laws. The company handles such requests through its legal and support teams. According to X's guidelines, content or accounts can be withheld if the platform receives a valid legal demand, such as a court order. Additionally, content can be blocked based on local laws following reports submitted through specific support channels.
In the past, X has complied with Indian government requests to block accounts. In May 2025, X issued a statement saying it had received executive orders from the Indian government requiring it to block over 8,000 accounts in India, subject to potential penalties including significant fines and imprisonment of the company's local employees. X has also expressed its disagreement with the Indian government's demands, stating that in most cases, the government has not specified which posts from an account have violated India's local laws.
The current withholding of Reuters' X account has raised concerns about potential censorship and freedom of speech. Some reports speculate that the action may be related to a recent Reuters report on a Chinese foreign ministry statement regarding Tibet. The statement, reported by Reuters, came shortly after Union Minister of Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju stated that only the Dalai Lama and his trust could choose the successor. Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000 empowers the government to block access to online content if it is deemed a threat to the sovereignty or integrity of India, defence of India, security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States or public order, or for preventing incitement to the commission of any cognizable offence.
