The main X (formerly Twitter) account of the international news agency Reuters has been blocked in India, users reported late in the night on July 5. As of late Saturday evening, the @Reuters handle displayed a message stating, “has been withheld in response to a legal demand,” rendering it inaccessible to Indian users. While Reuters has yet to issue an official statement on the matter, the move comes amidst ongoing legal tussles between X and the Indian government.
As of 11:30 PM IST, the account remained inaccessible from Indian IP addresses. There has been no official announcement or public explanation either from Reuters or the Indian government regarding the action.
Adding to the mystery, the @ReutersWorld handle—another major account operated by the agency—was also withheld in India by 11:40 PM. However, other affiliated handles such as @ReutersTech, @ReutersAsia, @ReutersChina, @ReutersPictures, and @ReutersFactCheck remained accessible within the country.
BIG: News Agency @Reuters X Account Blocked in India. Reason unknown. No official statement yet. pic.twitter.com/zI1HItKPx2
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) July 5, 2025
X’s content policy indicates that user accounts or posts may be withheld in specific countries when the platform is compelled to act on “a valid legal demand,” such as a court order or government directive, typically based on local laws. However, neither Reuters nor the Indian Ministry of Electronics and IT has issued a formal statement clarifying the nature of the legal demand.
Meanwhile, Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000 empowers the government to block access to online content if it is deemed a threat to the “sovereignty or integrity of India, defence of India, security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States or public order, or for preventing incitement to the commission of any cognizable offence”
Reuters, part of Thomson Reuters, employing more than 2,600 journalists in over 200 locations globally.
