India has scaled back its internet censorship powers, limiting which government officials can order online content to be taken down. The change comes months after a high-profile legal clash with Elon Musk’s X, which opposed the 2023 rules that gave thousands of officers authority to remove online posts.
Under the revised policy, only senior bureaucrats and police officials — joint secretaries and deputy inspector generals or higher — will be permitted to issue takedown requests. The government said the reform ensures “senior-level accountability” and mandates that all takedown orders include a detailed “reasoned intimation” specifying the legal basis and nature of the violation.
Although seen as a step back from blanket powers, legal experts note that enforcement remains extensive. The updated rules also require monthly reviews by top officials, introducing greater oversight. The decision follows growing criticism that India’s broad content-control laws suppress free expression.
