Web Blackout: India Blocks ‘The Wire’ Amid Rising Regional Tensions

Indian authorities have blocked access to the news portal The Wire within the country, making the site inaccessible to domestic users. The move comes amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.

Social media platform X (formerly Twitter) announced that it had blocked 8,000 accounts in India under government orders, citing the deteriorating diplomatic climate. The blocked accounts reportedly include those of major Pakistani media outlets like Dawn and Geo TV, as well as several Pakistani journalists.

In a post from its Global Government Affairs handle, X stated, “In compliance with Indian government orders, we will withhold specific accounts only in India. We have started this process. However, we disagree with the Indian government's demands.”

The platform briefly suspended its own India-specific Global Government Affairs handle before restoring it. “Blocking or withholding accounts is not a decision we take lightly,” X added. “We are doing so to ensure the platform remains available to Indian users.” It also described the blocking orders as “overbroad and tantamount to censorship.”

X, owned by Elon Musk, said it is currently exploring all legal avenues. The platform is already engaged in a separate legal case against the Indian government, challenging what it calls the misuse of law to censor content.

Indian internet service providers have confirmed that The Wire's website was blocked under directives issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, in accordance with the Information Technology Act, 2000.

In response, The Wire issued a statement condemning the move, calling it “a direct violation of press freedom guaranteed by the Constitution in a democratic country like India.”

The statement continued, “This action has come at a time when fact-based, conscientious, and reasoned journalism is India’s most valuable asset.”

No specific reason or explanation has yet been provided by the ministry regarding the website’s suspension. The Wire’s management has indicated it is preparing for legal action, pledging to challenge what it described as an “arbitrary and unreasonable step.”

The portal added, “Over the past ten years, our work has been sustained by the support of our readers. Even now, we remain hopeful that they will continue to stand with us.” Reaffirming its commitment to journalistic integrity, the team said, “We will not back down from reporting the truth.”

The shutdown of The Wire comes at a sensitive time, as tensions flare between India and Pakistan. In recent days, India has also taken action to block several Pakistani YouTube channels and Instagram accounts.