X’s Global Affairs account withheld in India after request to block 8,000 accounts

The Global Affairs account of social media platform X (formerly Twitter) has been withheld in India, just a day after the platform revealed that the Indian government had requested the blocking of over 8,000 accounts.

Now, anyone trying to access the @GlobalAffairs account in India is shown a message that reads: “Account Withheld. @GlobalAffairs has been withheld in IN in response to a legal demand.”

This development follows a statement from Elon Musk-owned X on Thursday, in which the platform disclosed it had received executive orders from the Indian government. These orders demanded the blocking of more than 8,000 accounts in India, including accounts belonging to international news outlets and high-profile users.

X said it had no choice but to comply with the orders, warning that refusal could lead to “significant fines and imprisonment” of its local employees. Despite calling it a “difficult decision”, the company stressed the importance of remaining operational in the country: “Keeping the platform accessible in India is vital to Indians’ ability to access information,” it said.

However, X also criticised the lack of transparency surrounding these government orders. The company argued that being legally prevented from publishing the executive orders hinders public accountability: “Lack of disclosure discourages accountability and can contribute to arbitrary decision making,” it noted.

This move comes as tensions between India and Pakistan escalate. India recently launched Operation Sindoor, and in response, Pakistan reportedly sent drones into at least 15 Indian cities across Jammu & Kashmir and Punjab, including Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar and Chandigarh. Indian armed forces successfully intercepted and blocked all such attempts.

Read More: X blocks thousands of accounts in India amid government orders