Telegram creator and CEO Pavel Durov criticizes the government of India for imposing a temporary ban on Telegram until the NEET-UG 2026 examination results. The restriction is scheduled to remain in place until June 22, 2026. This comes after the Indian authorities found fraudulent networks spreading fake information through Telegram related to the leakage of question papers.
Durov argued that such actions punish millions of legitimate users and do not serve the purpose for which they have been imposed.
In an X post, Pavel Durov wrote, “Indian telecom Reliance is sabotaging access to Telegram for millions of users OUTSIDE India (including the UAE) via a rogue method called BGP hijacking. The sabotage seems intentional, as Reliance has ignored multiple reports. This may be part of a competitive war, as Reliance is partially owned by Meta, the company behind WhatsApp.”
Durov further explained that Reliance Communications was responsible for interfering with Telegram's connectivity. They had used a technique known as BGP hijacking. He also said that more than 150 million Telegram users in India have been affected by the restriction.
This controversy grew following the remarks made by Durov that business competitors could possibly be using pressure tactics against Telegram. Durov claims that Reliance was blocking the access of Telegram users outside India by use of BGP hijacking methods. He also speculated that WhatsApp could stand to gain from such moves.
Further, Durov implied that the moves may have been motivated by the competition in India’s messaging and telecommunication industry. However, the Russian tech billionaire failed to present any evidence in public about these allegations. Up until now, neither Reliance nor WhatsApp has made any public comment on this matter.
The government of India has justified this blockage, claiming that this move was made out of necessity to ensure that the integrity of the NEET-UG re-examination was maintained. Telegram was allegedly being abused by organized cheating gangs.
Also read: Telegram Temporarily Banned in India Ahead of NEET Re-Exam: Here’s What We Know