X sues Indian government over content removal orders

ISTANBUL

X, the social media platform owned by US billionaire Elon Musk, has sued the Indian government, accusing it of illegally blocking content through a mass censorship system, The Washington Post reported Thursday.

The lawsuit, filed earlier this month in a high court in Karnataka, argues that Indian authorities have set up a system allowing government agencies, state officials, and local police to issue large-scale takedown orders. X claims the so-called “censorship portal” violates India’s constitution and the Information Technology Act.

“This will result in significant censorship and unlawful blocking of lawful information on the X platform, which will prejudice X and detrimentally impact its business,” the lawsuit stated, according to the report.

The legal challenge comes as Musk seeks to expand his business interests in India and as Prime Minister Narendra Modi faces increasing pressure from US President Donald Trump on trade and immigration issues.

Shashank Reddy, managing partner at the tech-focused firm Evam Law & Policy, told the Post that the dispute has grown beyond legal interpretations. “This is no longer a single, simple issue about the interpretation of a specific section of law,” he said. “It is a larger geopolitical issue.”