Telegram CEO Accuses Reliance and WhatsApp of Efforts to Ban Messaging Platform in India

Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov has alleged that Reliance Group and WhatsApp may be linked to efforts to ban the messaging platform in India , while also accusing an Indian telecom operator of disrupting Telegram access for users outside the country. In a post on X, Durov claimed that Reliance Communications was responsible for interfering with Telegram's connectivity through a technique known as BGP hijacking. "Indian telecom Reliance is sabotaging access to Telegram for millions of users OUTSIDE India (including the UAE) via a rogue method called BGP hijacking. The sabotage seems intentional, as Reliance has ignored multiple reports. This may be part of a competitive war, as Reliance is partially owned by Meta, the company behind WhatsApp," Durov said.