India orders X to block over 8,000 accounts

India has ordered X to block more than 8,000 accounts, the platform said Thursday, adding that it was reluctantly complying with what it described as government-imposed "censorship.

- ANUJ CHOPRA

The move appears to be part of India's sweeping crackdown targeting social media accounts of Pakistani politicians, celebrities and media organisations amid heightened tensions and deadly confrontations between the nuclear-armed neighbours.

The order, which X said includes demands to block international news organisations and other prominent users, comes a day after Meta banned a prominent Muslim news page on Instagram in India at New Delhi's request.

"X has received executive orders from the Indian government requiring X to block over 8,000 accounts in India, subject to potential penalties including significant fines and imprisonment of the company's local employees," the site's global government affairs team said in a statement.