Apple Removes Bitchat From India App Store After MeitY Order

TLDR:

• Bitchat has been removed from the India App Store following a MeitY blocking demand under Section 69A. Dorsey shared the notice on October 3.
• Apple also restricts internal and external TestFlight testing in India. The notice leaves distribution available in other selected territories.
• July takedown notices relied on intermediary liability provisions and drew objections from digital rights groups over the blocking procedure.
• The app uses Bluetooth mesh for local communication and Nostr for internet messaging. The notice does not say existing installations were disabled.

Apple removed Bitchat from the India App Store following a government demand under Section 69A of the IT Act. Twitter cofounder Jack Dorsey disclosed the action on October 3, 2026, through an Apple App Review notice.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued the direction, according to the notice shared on X. Apple cited content considered illegal in India but did not identify the material.

The restriction extends to TestFlight testing and public beta links for Indian users. The app remains available in other selected markets. July takedown notices reportedly failed to secure its removal from either app store. 

Bitchat Removal Follows MeitY Order Under Section 69A

Apple linked the Bitchat removal to its legal compliance requirements for apps distributed across different territories. Its App Review Guidelines require developers to follow local laws wherever they offer their software. 

The company directed Dorsey to contact MeitY for further information about the decision. Its notice covers both internal and external TestFlight testing, closing another distribution route for Indian users. 

Section 69A allows the central government to block public access to digital information on specified grounds. These include national sovereignty, state security and public order. The provision requires written reasons and operates alongside procedures established under the 2009 Blocking Rules.

The latest action follows a separate attempt by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, which operates under the Home Ministry. On July 23, 2026, the agency demanded that GitHub disable access to three Bitchat repositories within three hours.

That notice invoked Section 79(3)(b) and Rule 3(1)(d), threatening the platform with losing intermediary protections. Section 79 concerns platform liability for information supplied by third parties. 

The Internet Freedom Foundation challenged the July order, arguing that authorities had bypassed the dedicated blocking framework. It demanded withdrawal of the notice and publication of takedown directions issued through the disputed legal route. 

MediaNama reported that related notices also targeted Google and Apple over several offline messaging applications. Officials reportedly told companies on July 24 that compliance was unnecessary, leaving the applications available. 

Offline Messaging Faces Fresh Scrutiny After Protest Use

Dorsey released Bitchat as open-source software in July 2025, initially describing it as an experimental weekend project. The application supports local Bluetooth mesh communication and internet messaging through the Nostr protocol.

Nearby phones discover one another and relay messages across participating devices without requiring a mobile network. Users do not need accounts or phone numbers. Private Bluetooth messages use end-to-end encryption through the Noise Protocol. Offline messaging depends on nearby participating devices, while Nostr channels require internet connectivity and use distributed relays. 

Student demonstrations at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi formed the backdrop to the July notices. Authorities alleged that the software could help criminal groups and other actors evade detection during network restrictions. 

Digital rights advocates disputed that reasoning, saying anticipated misuse did not justify blocking a communications tool. Restricting India App Store downloads could make it harder for new users to join local messaging networks during shutdowns.

The Bitchat notice describes distribution restrictions without stating that copies already installed on phones have been disabled. Its Bluetooth architecture does not rely on a central messaging server. 

India previously used Section 69A against messaging applications in May 2023, following an I4C request involving Jammu and Kashmir. The request covered 14 applications allegedly used by terrorists and their supporters for communication. MediaNama reported that Briar was among the services blocked through that earlier process. 

China previously required Apple to remove Bitchat from its local store in April 2026. The Cyberspace Administration of China cited security assessment rules governing applications capable of influencing public opinion or mobilizing users.

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