The official Reuters account on X (formerly Twitter) has been restored in India after being blocked Saturday night following a legal request. The account, which has over 25 million global followers, became inaccessible in India with a notice citing a “legal demand.”
X confirmed the reversal in an email to Reuters, stating, “We are no longer withholding access in India to your account,” without offering further details. Representatives from Reuters, X, and the Indian government have yet to publicly comment on the matter.
Earlier, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) of India denied involvement, saying no government agency had issued the directive to block the account. The bureau also stated it was in contact with X to resolve the issue. Reuters had also confirmed it was actively working with the platform to restore access.
Another Reuters-operated handle, @ReutersWorld, which had also been restricted, was restored late Sunday night. However, the cause behind the block remains unclear. A prior email from X dated May 16 mentioned legal obligations under India’s Information Technology Act, 2000, but did not link it to Saturday’s block.
India’s IT law permits content takedowns on national security or public order grounds. However, it does not always require public disclosure of the requesting authority. In this case, no clear explanation has been given regarding which post triggered the block or who filed the complaint.
Tensions between X and the Indian government have escalated in recent months. In March, X filed a lawsuit against new government policies that allegedly expand takedown powers. The case is still ongoing, adding more complexity to the platform’s operations in India.