The X account of the news agency Reuters has been withheld in India. The site mentions a “legal demand” behind the blocking. No official reason has come from Reuters or the government of India so far.
This step denies Indian users access to @Reuters. But affiliate accounts such as @ReutersAsia, @ReutersBiz, and @ReutersScience continue to be accessible. Reuters’ primary website is also still accessible in India.
No Clarity on the Legal Grounds
X normally suspends content in a nation only after it has received a legal request. Such requests typically come from courts or state authorities. In this situation, however, neither Reuters nor the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has made public statements on who ordered this action and for what reason.
The site shows an ordinary notice:
“@Reuters has been withheld in India in response to a legal demand.”
There is no court filing or public order associated with this takedown. Users and reporters are left in the dark about whether a certain post, article, or trend set something in motion.
This is not the first time such a step has been taken. India instructed X earlier this year to ban thousands of accounts and posts. They involved political content, satire, and, in a few instances, media handles. X blocked them under protest and sued the government’s content removal portal in March 2025. This incident adds to existing tensions between global tech platforms and Indian officials.
Reuters Silent, Government Unresponsive
To date, Reuters has not released a statement. The agency, with more than 2,600 journalists employed across 165 countries, hasn’t mentioned the blocking on its other sites either. The Indian government, the Ministry of IT and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting included, has remained quiet.
The silence is making media observers, free speech activists, and digital rights defenders worry.
What’s Next?
Unless and until Reuters makes a statement or the government issues an official clarification, nobody knows. If the block is a result of a legal infraction, there needs to be transparency. If it involves particular content, there needs to be a clarification.
Until then, the curb on the Reuters X account remains a secret—and an increasing issue for the world media.