A US government report has flagged ‘censorship’ in India — highlighting takedown orders issued to social media firms, internet shutdowns and an ‘equalisation levy’ on online advertisements. Washington said it had identified several non-tariff trade barriers that created “uncertainty” for American exporters and companies operating in India. The missive came mere weeks after the two countries finalised an interim trade agreement that would cut tariffs to 18% and enhance market access.
The office of the US Trade Representative submitted its annual report to President Donald Trump and Congress on Wednesday — outlining ‘unfair trade practices’ in various countries. The USTR document alleged that the Indian IT rules “impose a number of requirements that US stakeholders have identified as concerning”.
“The IT Rules also include imposition of impractical compliance deadlines and take-down protocols. Since 2021, US firms have been subject to an increasing number of takedown requests for content and user accounts related to issues that appear politically motivated,” the report alleged.
It also flagged internet shutdowns in the subcontinent — noting that such crackdowns restricted access to information and services and ultimately “undermine a free and open Internet and impede trade in the digital economy”.
“These shutdowns restrict access to information and services, disrupting commercial operations, and thereby undermining a free and open Internet and impeding trade in the digital economy. The United States continues to monitor the impact of these events on US trade and investment, including services exports,” the report added.
Takedown orders
The Indian government has issued a flurry of takedown orders in recent weeks — flagging posts that satirised or critiqued Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his administration. Organisations and individuals impacted by the crackdown included news outlets, satirists, comedians, cartoonists and political commentators. Exact details remain unclear because orders invoked under the Information Technology Act are confidential.
According to a report by The Hindu last month, recent posts taken down on X include a reference by Hotmail co-founder Sabeer Bhatia to a viral mistranscription of a Sanskrit subhashita by PM Modi, criticism of the targeting of minorities in India; and two animated satirical cartoons featuring the Prime Minister. A report by The Wire on Tuesday also noted that the Facebook pages of news platforms such as Molitics and National Dastak had been withheld in response to legal demands. Others affected similarly included satirist Rajeev Nigam and parody accounts on X such as @Nehr_who and @DrNimoYadav.
New Delhi has not commented on the individual incidents and maintains a stance of confidentiality and necessity about the matter. A recent Scroll report quoted BJP spokesperson RP Singh as saying that only factually incorrect information meant to “create panic” had been taken down by the government. Members of the ruling coalition have also critiqued the Opposition for its messaging on foreign policy amid the West Asia conflict.