On July 5, 2025, the X (formerly Twitter) accounts of major international media outlets—Reuters, TRT World (Turkish broadcaster), and Global Times (Chinese state-affiliated newspaper)—became inaccessible to users in India.

Those attempting to access these accounts encountered a message stating that the accounts had been "withheld in IN (India) in response to a legal demand". This action led to widespread speculation and concern regarding press freedom and the transparency of content moderation by the Elon Musk-owned platform.

The Indian government quickly intervened, clarifying that it had not requested the blocking of these accounts. A spokesperson from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) stated, "There is no requirement from the Government of India to withhold [these] handle[s].

We are continuously working with X to resolve the problem". The government reached out to X for an explanation and urged the platform to restore access.

The block appeared to be linked to a broader legal demand made during "Operation Sindoor" in May 2025, when several hundred accounts—including some media outlets—were ordered to be blocked. However, officials clarified that the order was not currently relevant, and its enforcement for Reuters, TRT World, and Global Times was a mistake on X’s part. Notably, affiliated accounts such as Reuters Tech News, Reuters Fact Check, and Reuters Asia remained accessible in India during the outage.

By Sunday evening, July 6, 2025, access to the main X accounts of Reuters, TRT World, and Global Times was restored in India after the government’s intervention and communication with X. The Indian government reiterated its commitment to press freedom and stated it would continue working with X to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The incident highlighted both the complexities of content moderation on global platforms and the importance of clear communication between governments and social media companies, especially when actions affect major news organisations.

Based On ANI Report