India withheld access to the X account of the Chinese state-run outlet ‘Global Times’, and the platform displayed a notice stating it acted in response to a legal request.
Users attempting to view @globaltimesnews are shown the message, “Account Withheld. @globaltimesnews has been withheld in IN in response to a legal demand.”
This development comes shortly after the Indian government issued executive orders to X on 8 May, directing the platform to block over 8,000 accounts.
These include profiles of international media organisations and prominent users.
The directive warned of legal consequences, including hefty fines and possible imprisonment of X’s employees in India, according to a statement by the platform’s Global Government Affairs team.
A day earlier, on 7 May, the Indian Embassy in China criticised ‘Global Times’ for reporting that Pakistan’s military had downed an Indian fighter jet.
The embassy posted on X, urging the outlet to check facts before publishing such claims.
Taking to X, the Embassy of India in Beijing posted, “Dear @globaltimesnews, we would recommend you verify your facts and cross-examine your sources before pushing out this kind of dis-information.”
India formally rejected Pakistan’s misinformation campaign on 8 May, which falsely alleged the destruction of key Indian defence installations and assets.
In a joint press briefing held by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Defence on Operation Sindoor, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh denounced Pakistan’s fabricated claims regarding damage to India’s S-400 system at Adampur, airbases at Suratgarh and Sirsa, BrahMos facilities in Nagrota, and artillery positions in Dehrangyari and Chandigarh.
“Pakistan has also attempted to execute a continued malicious misinformation campaign, with claims of destruction of the Indian S-400 system at Adhampur, destruction of airfields at Suratgarh and Sirsa, Brahmos space at Nagrota, and Arti-gun positions in Dehrangyari and Chandigarh forward ammunition depot, with heavy damages to other military stations being propagated across social media,” she stated.
The Wing Commander further added, “India unequivocally rejects these false narratives spread by Pakistan.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Adampur Airbase on Tuesday served as a direct rebuttal to these claims.
Despite Pakistan’s repeated attempts, they have failed to harm our airbases or any other defence infrastructure. And the credit for this goes to all of you, and I am proud of all of you, every soldier deployed on the border, every person associated with this operation deserves credit for this,” PM Modi stated during his address at the base.
Earlier, India had banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels accused of disseminating provocative content and misinformation against India and its security forces, following the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Ministry of Home Affairs recommended the action.
After tensions escalated between India and Pakistan following the attack, India also suspended the X accounts of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Imran Khan.
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