India has blocked the X accounts of several state-run media organizations from China and Turkey, citing concerns over the spread of disinformation following recent military clashes with Pakistan. The move includes blocking accounts belonging to China’s Xinhua News Agency, the Global Times, and Turkey’s TRT World, according to a report by DW News. The ban comes in the aftermath of cross-border military exchanges that brought India and Pakistan close to open conflict before a ceasefire was reached on May 10.
Tensions flared after an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22, in which Islamist militants killed 26 civilians, mostly tourists. India accused Pakistan of supporting the attackers, a claim Islamabad has denied. As the crisis unfolded, both countries released conflicting narratives, with unverified videos and reports circulating widely on social media. Indian authorities accused foreign media, particularly from China and Turkey, of amplifying misinformation about the clashes, including reports that Pakistan had shot down Indian fighter jets, which India denied.
India’s embassy in Beijing publicly criticized the Global Times on May 7, urging it to fact-check reports attributed to Xinhua News Agency that alleged Pakistan’s air force downed an Indian jet. India’s Press Information Bureau also labeled viral videos depicting fallen Indian aircraft as fake. Since the conflict began, India has ordered X to block roughly 8,000 accounts accused of spreading Pakistan-linked content, although critics say this has also affected domestic media and journalists, raising concerns about press freedom.
China and Turkey’s vocal support for Pakistan during the crisis has further strained relations. Turkey condemned India’s actions as provocative and accused it of targeting civilians, while China, which also controls part of the disputed Kashmir region, offered to mediate but reaffirmed its close ties with Pakistan. Indian officials have not yet commented on whether the blocked accounts are included in the broader directive to remove thousands of accounts linked to the Kashmir conflict.
While the immediate threat of conflict has eased following the ceasefire, the information battle between India and Pakistan continues to intensify in the digital space. India’s decision to block foreign state media accounts signals a broader effort to control the narrative amid the ongoing diplomatic and military tensions in the region.
