India has sharply criticized Elon Musk’s X for referring to an official government website as a “censorship portal.” The site is intended to help tech companies quickly address harmful online content. This dispute escalates tensions between X and the Indian government, particularly as Musk prepares to expand his ventures, Starlink and Tesla, in the country.
The controversy began after X filed a lawsuit in March 2025, challenging the Indian government’s initiative. India’s Ministry of Information Technology responded by calling the use of the “censorship” terminology “unfortunate and condemnable.” The ministry further argued that the concerns raised by X were groundless, stating that the website’s purpose was to notify companies about their due diligence obligations, not to issue content-blocking orders.
X, however, claims that the website allows government officials to easily remove content and that India’s new system unlawfully broadens censorship powers. The conflict highlights growing tensions over content regulation as tech companies navigate varying international laws.
