Bitchat removed from Apple’s India App Store following govt's demand: Jack Dorsey

Jack Dorsey's decentralized messaging app, Bitchat, has vanished from Apple and Google's app stores in India following a government order. Indian authorities first sought to restrict access to the open-source software months ago. Dorsey confirmed on Saturday that the Indian government had instructed Apple to remove Bitchat from its App Store within the country.

Apple's notice, shared on X, stated that Bitchat would remain accessible outside India but would be blocked through its TestFlight beta-testing service in India. Google Play also ceased allowing downloads of Bitchat in India when TechCrunch verified the situation on Saturday. The app's website remained inaccessible across various internet service providers in the country.

It is unclear whether Google and internet service providers received directives from the federal government to block the app. Bitchat, launched in July last year, utilizes Bluetooth mesh networking, enabling nearby devices to exchange encrypted messages without needing cellular networks, internet access, or centralized servers. In July 2026, Indian authorities had ordered GitHub to remove repositories associated with Bitchat, leading to questions about the legal basis for restricting software based on its functionality.

The Indian government explained that Bitchat's architecture made it difficult for law enforcement agencies to intercept communications or trace users, and highlighted its ability to function during internet shutdowns. The latest order relies on a provision of India's information technology law concerning intermediaries and their liability for third-party content, differing from the previously cited Section 69A.

The Internet Freedom Foundation, a digital rights advocacy group in New Delhi, deemed the latest order unconstitutional, arguing that Section 69A permits the government to block unlawful information but not a messaging app due to its capability to operate during internet shutdowns. Neither the blocking order nor the alleged illegal content, which allegedly prompted the action, had been made public.

The restrictions on Bitchat follow a surge in youth-led protests in India over changes to the country's voter rolls. Police detained several individuals during demonstrations in New Delhi on Saturday, where protesters demanded the resignation of India’s chief election commissioner over allegations of manipulating electoral rolls.

Authorities suspended internet services around New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar for 12 hours on Friday during the protests. During the July protests, demonstrators reportedly turned to Bitchat and another app, Briar, after authorities cut internet services. Interest in Bitchat spiked in India during this period, accounting for about 85% of the app's global downloads between July 17 and July 23, compared to roughly 1% in the preceding 30 days, according to data from market intelligence firm Sensor Tower.