India Tightens Digital Clampdown, Blocks Access to The Wire and Other Outlets Amid Pakistan Content Crackdown
India has launched an extensive digital clampdown targeting content linked to Pakistan, with prominent news website The Wire becoming inaccessible across much of the country, according to reports by The Independent (UK).
The Wire, known for its investigative reporting and critical stance on the Indian government, confirmed on Friday that its site had been blocked following directives from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) under the Information Technology Act, 2000. While no official statement has been released, internet providers reportedly relayed the blocking orders to the publication.
In a statement, The Wire called the move a “clear violation of the constitutional right to press freedom” and said it plans to challenge the decision in court.
Additionally, Maktoob Media’s X (formerly Twitter) account was also restricted within India. X stated it had received executive orders to block over 8,000 accounts, warning that non-compliance could lead to hefty fines or jail time for local staff. The company expressed concerns over a lack of transparency, noting that in many cases no specific violations or justifications were provided for the takedowns.
Further intensifying the crackdown, India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting issued an advisory on May 8, instructing online intermediaries, streaming platforms, and social media to immediately remove all content originating from Pakistan. The advisory broadly covered films, web series, songs, and other digital media but did not specify clear criteria or legal basis for the directive.
On the same day, the Ministry of Defence urged media outlets and digital platforms to avoid live reporting of defense operations, citing operational risks and historical incidents like the Kargil conflict, the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, and the 1999 Kandahar hijacking. It emphasized that only official briefings would be permitted during anti-terror operations to prevent jeopardizing security efforts.
Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) director Apar Gupta criticized the government’s opaque approach, stating that the block on The Wire lacked a transparent legal order. Gupta highlighted a concerning trend of undisclosed digital censorship under the IT Rules 2021, where takedown orders are not made public or shared with affected parties.
IFF also voiced concerns about the broad nature of the May 8 advisory, warning that it could lead to overreach, with platforms likely to remove a wide array of content unrelated to national security threats.
This latest wave of restrictions coincides with rising military tensions between India and Pakistan, fueling an information vacuum. Fact-checkers have debunked several instances of misleading footage on Indian news channels, including recycled videos from unrelated global events portrayed as evidence of recent military actions.
Amid mounting digital restrictions and widespread misinformation on mainstream and encrypted platforms, experts warn of shrinking access to reliable information for Indian audiences during a critical time.