New Delhi: Elon Musk-owned social media platform X on Tuesday (July 8) rejected the Indian government’s claim regarding blocking orders for Reuters' account, clarifying that on July 3 it had received directives to block 2,355 accounts, including those belonging to the news agency.

In addition to Reuters and Reuters World, the X accounts of Chinese newspaper Global Times and Turkish public broadcaster TRT News were also withheld in India, reportedly starting the night of July 5, following what the accounts described as a "legal demand."

In a post from its Global Government Affairs handle, X stated: “On July 3, 2025, the Indian government ordered X to block 2,355 accounts in India, including international news outlets such as @Reuters and @ReutersWorld, under Section 69A of the IT Act. Non-compliance carried the risk of criminal liability. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology demanded immediate action — within one hour — without providing any justification, and required the accounts to remain blocked until further notice.”

The statement noted that “following public outcry, the government requested X to unblock @Reuters and @ReutersWorld.” It also expressed concern over press censorship in India, emphasizing that X is limited under Indian law from challenging such executive orders in court.

“We are deeply concerned about ongoing press censorship in India resulting from these blocking orders. X is exploring all legal options available. Unlike individual users in India, X is constrained by Indian law in its ability to legally contest these executive directives. We encourage affected users to seek legal remedies through the courts,” the company added.