India bans Global Times and Xinhua accounts over fake news concerns
| 2025-05-14
India has blocked X accounts of Global Times and Xinhua News.
India blocks Chinese media outlets Global Times and Xinhua on X over misinformation, following disputed reports on military operations and territorial integrity.
India has blocked the official accounts of China’s Global Times and Xinhua News on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), citing concerns over the spread of disinformation related to recent military developments and territorial claims.
The move follows a public warning issued by the Indian Embassy in Beijing urging the two state-run media organisations to verify facts before publishing reports, particularly in reference to a recent Indian military operation known as Operation Sindoor.
According to Indian officials, the action was taken after Global Times published misleading information suggesting that a Pakistani military operation had downed an Indian Rafale fighter jet near Bahawalpur—claims that were later discredited by India’s Press Information Bureau (PIB) Fact Check unit. The image used in the report was traced back to a 2021 crash involving a MiG-21 aircraft, not a Rafale.
The accounts were formally withheld in India in response to legal demands issued under executive orders by the Indian government. A message displayed on the Global Times’ X profile now reads: “@globaltimesnews has been withheld in IN in response to a legal demand.”
Disputed Reporting on Operation Sindoor
The controversy centres on Global Times' coverage of Operation Sindoor—an Indian military initiative reportedly targeting cross-border terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan. In response to media reports alleging significant Indian military losses, India’s Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Defence held a joint press briefing on 8 May.
Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, addressing the media, said Pakistan had launched a “continued malicious misinformation campaign,” falsely claiming the destruction of strategic assets, including the S-400 air defence system in Adampur and multiple airfields and ammunition depots across northern India.
“India unequivocally rejects these false narratives being spread by Pakistan,” said Wing Commander Singh.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also visited the Adampur Airbase on 7 May, which was allegedly damaged according to Pakistani sources. Speaking to military personnel, he praised the armed forces for their defence readiness and stated: “Despite Pakistan’s many efforts, our airbases or our other defence infrastructure have not been harmed... every soldier deployed on the border, every person associated with this operation deserves credit.”
Broader Crackdown on Disinformation
India’s action against the Chinese media accounts follows a broader effort to curb online misinformation, especially from foreign sources. On 8 May, social media company X confirmed that it had received executive orders from the Indian government mandating the blocking of over 8,000 accounts within the country. Failure to comply could lead to heavy fines or even imprisonment for X’s local staff.
Among the blocked accounts were several high-profile users and foreign media outlets, as India increases scrutiny of digital platforms amid heightened regional tensions.
Earlier, the Ministry of Home Affairs had recommended banning 16 Pakistani YouTube channels accused of disseminating provocative or false content following a terrorist attack in the Pahalgam region of Jammu and Kashmir. Indian authorities have also suspended access to the X accounts of Pakistani political leaders including Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and former Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Tensions with China Over Arunachal Pradesh
In a parallel development, India also rejected a renewed claim by China over the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. China’s foreign ministry recently attempted to rename several locations in the northeastern state, a move that India’s Ministry of External Affairs firmly dismissed.
"Arunachal Pradesh was, is, and will always be an integral part of India," the ministry said in a statement, reiterating India’s long-standing stance on the disputed region.
The timing of the misinformation crackdown and the diplomatic rebuff over Arunachal Pradesh reflects increasing friction between New Delhi and Beijing across both digital and geopolitical fronts.
Rising Geopolitical Pressures
The Indian government’s latest measures underscore its strategic concerns in managing narratives around national security and territorial sovereignty. With persistent tensions on both its western and eastern borders—stemming from conflict with Pakistan and unresolved border disputes with China—India has become more assertive in regulating foreign media influence, especially on social platforms.
The banning of Global Times and Xinhua on X may further strain already complex India–China relations, which have been tense since the 2020 border clashes in Ladakh.
Meanwhile, India’s approach signals a more proactive policy in countering what it sees as state-sponsored disinformation campaigns aimed at destabilising its security environment.
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