Instant messaging app Telegram has stopped working for existing users in India after the government temporarily restricted access to the app, but it continues to remain operational through Virtual Private Network (VPN), according to industry experts, as reported by PTI.
Government order triggers app store delisting
The Indian government ordered Google and Apple to delist the Telegram app from their app stores till June 22 to check paper leaks during the upcoming re-examination of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) on June 21, according to PTI. The nationwide examination conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) is for admission to undergraduate medical institutes. The agency cancelled the previous exam held on May 3 amid allegations of paper leak.
Besides, a separate direction requires Telegram to disable the message-editing feature for already-posted messages in India till June 30, addressing the specific structural feature through which the platform was used to fabricate after-the-event "paper leak" evidence relating to national examinations.
| Platform | Action | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Google Play Store | Delisted Telegram | Until June 22 |
| Apple App Store | Removed Telegram | Until June 22 |
VPN bypass keeps service operational
According to Jiten Jain, Director of Voyager Infosec, the blocking will not stop paper leaks because the app continues to be accessible via VPN. In a statement to PTI, he said:
"Blocking of Telegram will not help the paper leak. It continues to be operational on VPNs which bypass Indian servers and connect with foreign servers for operations."
This means that while the app is unavailable for direct download or use without VPN, users who already have the app installed can still access it by using a VPN service that routes traffic through foreign servers. Industry experts note that this undermines the effectiveness of the restriction.
Telegram CEO criticises move, alleges lobbying
Telegram CEO Pavel Durov on Tuesday said the ban on its messaging app by the Indian government will not stop paper leaks, instead move it on to other apps, according to PTI. In a social media post, Durov said that the decision to ban Telegram for a week punishes over 150 million users of the app in India and not the insiders who leaked the exam materials.
In a late night post, Durov alleged that Reliance Group, in which Meta has a partial stake, may have lobbied, along with its competitor WhatsApp, to impose a ban on the company's app in India. A senior telecom industry source, who did not wish to be named, termed the allegations as "fake news" and noted that Durov has confused Reliance Communications with Reliance Industries Ltd.
The incident highlights the challenges governments face when attempting to restrict digital services that can be circumvented by technologies like VPNs. For enterprises relying on Telegram for internal communications or customer engagement, the temporary ban may necessitate contingency plans, though the VPN workaround offers a stopgap solution. The broader implications for international commerce are limited in this case, as the disruption is targeted at exam security rather than trade infrastructure. However, the episode underscores the vulnerability of cloud-based communication platforms to sovereign actions and the need for businesses to have diversified communication channels.
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