India blocks China-run media houses for claiming Pakistan shot down Indian jet

In a strong move against the spread of disinformation, India has blocked the X (formerly Twitter) accounts of Chinese state-run media outlets Global Times and Xinhua News. This decision comes shortly after India also took similar action against an account associated with the Pakistan military, amid heightened cross-border tensions.

Users attempting to access @globaltimesnews in India are now met with a message that reads: “Account Withheld: @globaltimesnews has been withheld in IN in response to a legal demand.”

Following the publication of misleading and unverified information targeting India, the action was taken. One such instance occurred on May 7, when Global Times falsely reported that Pakistan’s military had shot down an Indian fighter jet. This claim was quickly and firmly dismissed by India’s Embassy in Beijing. The embassy posted on X advising Global Times to “verify facts and cross-examine sources before pushing out this kind of disinformation.”

The move is seen as part of a broader strategy by the Indian government to crack down on fake news and malicious foreign narratives circulating online, especially during periods of heightened geopolitical sensitivity.

Earlier, on May 8, the Indian government issued executive orders to X directing it to block over 8,000 accounts within the country. According to a statement released by X's Global Government Affairs, non-compliance with this directive could have led to significant penalties, including heavy fines and imprisonment for the platform's employees operating within India.