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The dispute between Telegram and Indian authorities has escalated after founder Pavel Durov accused Reliance Jio of disrupting access to the messaging platform and suggested Meta's investment in the telecom operator could be influencing efforts against Telegram.
In a series of posts on X, Durov alleged that Reliance Jio used a networking technique known as Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) hijacking to interfere with Telegram access for users outside India, including in the United Arab Emirates.
"Indian telecom Reliance is sabotaging access to Telegram for millions of users outside India," Durov wrote, claiming the issue appeared intentional because, according to him, multiple reports had gone unanswered.
BGP hijacking occurs when incorrect internet routing information is broadcast across networks, potentially directing traffic away from its intended destination and making online services difficult to access. Such incidents have historically been linked to configuration errors as well as malicious activity.
Durov went further by linking the alleged disruption to Meta's relationship with Reliance, arguing that the issue could be part of a competitive battle involving WhatsApp, Telegram's largest rival in India.
Meta invested $5.7 billion in Reliance's digital business in 2020 and recently expanded its infrastructure partnership with the Indian conglomerate through a new data center arrangement.
Reliance Jio rejected the allegations.
The company said it continues to operate its network according to global internet routing standards and follows established practices for reliability, security, and transparency. Jio also denied that any routing misconfiguration had occurred on its network.
Durov did not provide technical evidence to support his claims. Nevertheless, he suggested the alleged network disruption could be connected to broader efforts against Telegram in India.
His comments come days after Telegram lost a legal challenge against a temporary six-day government-imposed ban. The restriction was introduced during a nationwide medical entrance examination after authorities raised concerns that leaked exam materials and fraudulent content were being distributed through the platform.
The Indian government argued that Telegram posed unique enforcement challenges because of features such as user anonymity, username-based communication, and the ability to quickly recreate blocked channels.
Durov criticized the decision, arguing that blocking Telegram punished more than 150 million users in India rather than those responsible for distributing leaked examination content.
The episode has intensified debate around the regulation of encrypted messaging platforms in India. While digital rights advocates have expressed concerns about government powers to block online services, Telegram has also faced increasing scrutiny from law enforcement agencies and industry groups over issues ranging from content moderation to cooperation with investigations.
Indian telecom operators have separately argued that messaging platforms such as Telegram and WhatsApp provide communication services that compete with traditional telecom offerings while operating under a different regulatory framework.
For enterprises, the controversy highlights the growing intersection of platform regulation, network infrastructure, and geopolitical competition in one of the world's largest digital markets. It also underscores how messaging platforms are increasingly finding themselves at the center of disputes involving national security, content governance, and digital sovereignty.
Whether Durov's allegations gain traction may ultimately depend on the emergence of independent technical evidence. For now, the claims remain unverified, while Reliance maintains that its network operations comply with global internet standards.
In a series of posts on X, Durov alleged that Reliance Jio used a networking technique known as Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) hijacking to interfere with Telegram access for users outside India, including in the United Arab Emirates.
"Indian telecom Reliance is sabotaging access to Telegram for millions of users outside India," Durov wrote, claiming the issue appeared intentional because, according to him, multiple reports had gone unanswered.
BGP hijacking occurs when incorrect internet routing information is broadcast across networks, potentially directing traffic away from its intended destination and making online services difficult to access. Such incidents have historically been linked to configuration errors as well as malicious activity.
Durov went further by linking the alleged disruption to Meta's relationship with Reliance, arguing that the issue could be part of a competitive battle involving WhatsApp, Telegram's largest rival in India.
Meta invested $5.7 billion in Reliance's digital business in 2020 and recently expanded its infrastructure partnership with the Indian conglomerate through a new data center arrangement.
Reliance Jio rejected the allegations.
The company said it continues to operate its network according to global internet routing standards and follows established practices for reliability, security, and transparency. Jio also denied that any routing misconfiguration had occurred on its network.
Durov did not provide technical evidence to support his claims. Nevertheless, he suggested the alleged network disruption could be connected to broader efforts against Telegram in India.
His comments come days after Telegram lost a legal challenge against a temporary six-day government-imposed ban. The restriction was introduced during a nationwide medical entrance examination after authorities raised concerns that leaked exam materials and fraudulent content were being distributed through the platform.
The Indian government argued that Telegram posed unique enforcement challenges because of features such as user anonymity, username-based communication, and the ability to quickly recreate blocked channels.
Durov criticized the decision, arguing that blocking Telegram punished more than 150 million users in India rather than those responsible for distributing leaked examination content.
The episode has intensified debate around the regulation of encrypted messaging platforms in India. While digital rights advocates have expressed concerns about government powers to block online services, Telegram has also faced increasing scrutiny from law enforcement agencies and industry groups over issues ranging from content moderation to cooperation with investigations.
Indian telecom operators have separately argued that messaging platforms such as Telegram and WhatsApp provide communication services that compete with traditional telecom offerings while operating under a different regulatory framework.
For enterprises, the controversy highlights the growing intersection of platform regulation, network infrastructure, and geopolitical competition in one of the world's largest digital markets. It also underscores how messaging platforms are increasingly finding themselves at the center of disputes involving national security, content governance, and digital sovereignty.
Whether Durov's allegations gain traction may ultimately depend on the emergence of independent technical evidence. For now, the claims remain unverified, while Reliance maintains that its network operations comply with global internet standards.
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