On the night of July 5, 2025, the X (formerly Twitter) accounts of several international news organizations, including Reuters, Global Times, and TRT World, were withheld in India due to a "legal demand". This action sparked immediate concern and confusion, especially after an Indian government spokesperson stated that there was "no requirement from the Government of India to withhold" the Reuters account and that they were "continuously working with X to resolve the problem".

The situation raised questions about the enforcement of legal demands and the role of social media platforms in mediating free speech and government regulations. X's help center page explains that when an account is withheld, it means the platform was compelled to take action in response to a valid legal demand, such as a court order or local laws. The specific legal basis for the withholding was not immediately clear, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the situation.

Sources suggest the action may have stemmed from a previous request made during "Operation Sindoor". This operation appears to have involved a demand for blocking numerous accounts, possibly to contain misinformation. While some accounts were blocked at that time, Reuters' X handle was not among them. It seems X may have mistakenly enforced an outdated order from May 7, leading to the current situation.

Interestingly, other affiliated X accounts of Reuters, such as Reuters Asia, Reuters Business, and Reuters Science News, remained accessible. Additionally, the Reuters website was also unaffected. This selective withholding further fueled speculation about the exact reasons behind the action and whether it was a targeted measure against the main Reuters account.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has stated they are in communication with X to resolve the issue, emphasizing that the government did not request the withholding of the Reuters account. This suggests a possible miscommunication or error on the part of X in implementing the legal demand. The government has asked X to explain the blocking and lift the embargo.

The incident has also drawn attention to the accessibility of other media outlets. While Reuters, Global Times, and TRT World faced restrictions, other news agencies, such as Chinese Xinhua News, remained accessible. This inconsistency raises questions about the criteria used for withholding accounts and whether there was a uniform approach in enforcing the legal demand.

On the evening of July 6, 2025, the X accounts of Reuters, TRT World, and Global Times were restored in India, one day after they were initially blocked.