India’s Ministry of Home Affairs has directed GitHub to remove repositories associated with Jack Dorsey’s decentralized messaging application, Bitchat. The ministry contends that the Bluetooth mesh platform poses a risk of enabling users to bypass internet shutdowns and evade lawful surveillance.
This directive, disclosed by Dorsey following its issuance to GitHub, primarily targets the software itself rather than any specific unlawful content or illegal activities. The notice was released by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) at 11:16 p.m. on July 23, 2026. It references Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and Rule 3(1)(d) of the Information Technology Rules, mandating GitHub to disable access to three specific repositories within a tight three-hour window. Failure to comply could result in GitHub losing its intermediary protections and facing potential legal repercussions.
Repositories Under Scrutiny
The repositories targeted in the order include:
- github.com/permissionlesstech/bitchat
- github.com/permissionlesstech/bitchat-android
- github.com/permissionlesstech/bitchat-android/releases
As the world’s largest software development platform, GitHub, which is owned by Microsoft, hosts millions of code repositories utilized by developers, open-source communities, and enterprises alike. The platform routinely receives requests from governments to remove content or restrict access in accordance with local laws.
Bitchat Enabling Anonymous Communications
Bitchat facilitates decentralized peer-to-peer messaging via Bluetooth mesh networks, eliminating the need for mobile networks, internet access, or centralized servers. Authorities argue that the app’s design—characterized by the absence of mandatory registration, phone number verification, and centralized logging—significantly hampers lawful interception and criminal investigations.
The I4C’s notice asserts that the platform could be misused to incite riots, orchestrate organized crime, support terrorism, and disseminate misinformation, particularly during internet shutdowns or other network restrictions. It cites various local legal provisions to justify its claim that the repositories contain information prohibited under Indian law.
Designed to Operate Without Internet Access
Introduced by Dorsey in July 2025, Bitchat is an open-source messaging platform that prioritizes privacy and resistance to censorship. Utilizing Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), it establishes mesh networks among nearby devices, allowing messages to be relayed from phone to phone without the need for cellular service, Wi-Fi, or centralized servers. The application also features end-to-end encryption and does not require users to create accounts or provide phone numbers.
This decentralized architecture makes Bitchat particularly valuable in scenarios where internet access is either unavailable, unreliable, or deliberately restricted.
The takedown order emerges against the backdrop of ongoing student protests in New Delhi, where authorities have frequently suspended mobile internet access around the Jantar Mantar area. Reports from the Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) indicate that Bitchat has gained significance as it enables users in close proximity to continue communicating despite government-imposed network shutdowns.
Amnesty International has also criticized India’s broader approach to the protests, highlighting the invocation of powers under the National Security Act, which permits administrative detention without many of the procedural safeguards typically available in criminal proceedings. The organization warns that such measures threaten fundamental rights, including the rights to peaceful assembly and free expression.
The Internet Freedom Foundation has condemned the takedown order as “unconstitutional and authoritarian,” asserting that the government improperly invoked Section 79(3)(b) as a blocking mechanism rather than adhering to the established procedures under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act. The IFF further argues that the notice fails to identify any unlawful content within the repositories, instead objecting to the software’s potential for misuse. Additionally, the organization criticized the three-hour compliance deadline, issued shortly before midnight, as effectively obstructing meaningful legal review or challenge.
The IFF has called upon the government to retract the order, disclose takedown directives issued under the same legal authority, and restore internet access in the vicinity of New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar protest area.
As of now, it remains uncertain whether GitHub has complied with the removal request or if it intends to contest the order.
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