There have been widespread discussions in the past on how the freedom of speech in India is suppressed. There are a number of people who oppose this belief and there are many who support it. Access to the Internet is considered a part of freedom of speech by many as it equips them with a platform to raise their voices freely. According to a report by digital rights organisation, Access Now, India witnessed 84 internet shutdowns last year. Notably, this is the highest among democratic nations, surpassed only by Myanmar which recorded 85 blackouts imposed by military junta in the nation.
The report read, “Despite a modest decrease in shutdowns from 2023 [116 internet shutdowns], India still imposed 84 in 2024, the most disruptions ordered in a democracy that year.”
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Decoding The Report
According to the report, out of the 84 internet shutdowns recorded, 41 were linked to protests, while 23 were a result of communal violence. Additionally, authorities imposed five shutdowns during government job placement examinations last year. At least one shutdown was reported in over 16 Indian states and Union Territories. The state-wise data revealed that Manipur recorded the highest number of shutdowns (21), followed by Haryana (12) and Jammu & Kashmir (12).
Namrata Maheshwari, senior policy counsel at Access Now, highlighted concerns over India’s frequent shutdowns, stating, “Shutdowns are incompatible with India’s global leadership ambitions, whether on AI, digital governance, or skilling. In no other democracy are people cut off from connectivity without oversight or accountability, year after year.” She further emphasized the absence of safeguards in the Telecommunications Act 2023 and the Telecom Suspension Rules 2024, urging authorities to “repeal rights-violating laws, and make 2025 a shutdown-free year for all people in India.”
Some provisions of the revised telecom legislative framework came into effect last year. A major criticism of the Telecom Act is that it continues to uphold the colonial-era provisions of the Telegraph Act, 1885, allowing the government to impose internet shutdowns without introducing safeguards such as an independent oversight mechanism. At present, the legal validity of such shutdown orders is reviewed by a three-member committee consisting of secretary-level officials at both the Centre and state levels.
Global Internet Shutdowns
In 2024, governments across 54 countries imposed over 296 internet shutdowns, with 202 disruptions recorded in 11 countries or territories in the Asia Pacific alone. According to Access Now, “Myanmar, India, and Pakistan together accounted for over 64 per cent of all recorded shutdowns in 2024.” The majority of these shutdowns occurred in response to violence and conflict, with more than 103 conflict-related disruptions reported across 11 countries, including India. Other reasons cited in the report include protests, political instability, exams, elections, and efforts to conceal serious human rights violations.
Commenting on the impact of these disruptions, Raman Jit Singh Chima, Asia Pacific Policy Director at Access Now, stated, “Shutdowns destabilise societies, undermine digital progress, put entire communities at risk, and provide a cloak of impunity for human rights abuses. Authorities from Myanmar to Pakistan are isolating people from the rest of the world with impunity, reflecting the rising digital authoritarianism in Asia.”
The report also highlighted a significant rise in platform-specific blocks, with access to over 71 online platforms restricted in 35 countries—a sharp increase from 53 blocks across 25 countries in 2023. The most frequently blocked platform in 2024 was X (formerly Twitter), which faced restrictions 24 times across 14 countries, followed by TikTok, which was blocked 10 times in 10 countries, and Signal, a secure messaging app, which saw 10 blocks in nine countries.
