Jack Dorsey’s Bitchat messaging application has been removed from app stores in India following government action, with authorities citing concerns related to Indian law, public order and the potential misuse of the application.
Bitchat is a decentralised messaging platform designed to allow users to communicate without relying on conventional mobile networks, Wi Fi connections or a central messaging server. The application uses Bluetooth Low Energy mesh networking to connect nearby devices and relay messages between users.
The technology attracted attention in India after it was used during protests where mobile internet services had been restricted. Because Bitchat can continue to function through nearby Bluetooth enabled devices, users can communicate even when conventional internet connectivity is unavailable.
Apple removed Bitchat from its India App Store after receiving a demand from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. The company said the removal was made following the government’s request under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
According to the notice shared by Dorsey, Apple stated that the application was being removed because it included content considered illegal in India and therefore did not comply with the company’s App Review Guidelines.
However, the notice did not publicly identify the specific content that was considered illegal. It also did not provide detailed information about the particular grounds cited by the ministry. Apple directed the developer to contact the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology for further information about the removal and applicable Indian legal requirements.
The government’s latest action follows an earlier intervention involving Bitchat in July 2026. At that time, the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre, which operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs, directed GitHub to restrict access to repositories associated with the application.
The earlier action focused on concerns surrounding the way Bitchat operates. Government authorities reportedly expressed concerns that the decentralised design could make it difficult for law enforcement agencies to trace users or intercept communications when necessary.
The application does not depend on a conventional central server for message delivery. Instead, nearby smartphones can connect with one another using Bluetooth. Messages can then be relayed through participating devices, allowing communication across a larger area when enough users are present.
This feature became particularly important during periods when mobile internet services were suspended. Users could continue communicating locally through the Bluetooth based network even without access to mobile data.
The government has raised concerns that such capabilities could potentially be misused during situations involving unlawful gatherings, public disorder, organised criminal activity or other security related incidents. The authorities' position has focused on the potential difficulty of monitoring communications and identifying participants when conventional telecommunications networks are unavailable.
The removal from the India App Store is therefore part of a broader regulatory dispute surrounding decentralised communication technology and the responsibilities of digital platforms operating in India.
Apple’s latest action specifically applies to its India App Store. The company said the application would remain available in other territories selected by the developer. Apple also stated that the Bitchat TestFlight version would not be available for internal or external testing in India and that public TestFlight links would no longer function in the country.
Reports also indicated that Bitchat was unavailable through Google Play in India around the time of the Apple removal. However, the specific details of any separate direction involving Google were not publicly established in the same Apple notice.
The development has generated debate about the regulation of decentralised technologies in India. Supporters of such applications argue that offline communication tools can provide an important means of communication when conventional networks fail because of technical problems, natural disasters or other emergencies.
Authorities, on the other hand, face the challenge of maintaining public safety and preventing digital tools from being used to coordinate unlawful activity. The Bitchat case highlights the difficulty of balancing these considerations when an application is specifically designed to function without conventional internet infrastructure.
Digital rights groups have also questioned the legal basis and transparency of the action. The Internet Freedom Foundation has argued that Section 69A concerns the blocking of information and has questioned whether the provision can be used to block an entire messaging application because of its technical capabilities. The organisation has also called for greater transparency regarding the government’s blocking order.
At the same time, the government’s earlier concerns demonstrate why decentralised communication platforms can attract additional regulatory attention. Unlike conventional messaging services that rely on central servers and established telecommunications infrastructure, Bitchat is designed to operate through direct connections between nearby devices.
The application’s ability to operate during internet shutdowns was one of the main reasons for its increased visibility in India. Reports said its use increased significantly during protests where mobile internet access had been restricted. This brought the application to the attention of authorities as well as digital rights advocates.
It is important to distinguish between the government’s concerns and allegations about specific misuse. The available Apple notice does not publicly detail a particular incident or identify specific illegal content hosted by Bitchat. Instead, it states that the removal followed a MeitY demand and referred to content considered illegal under Indian law.
The case also illustrates the broader regulatory questions surrounding open source and decentralised software. Because such applications can be distributed through multiple channels and their source code may be publicly accessible, removing an application from mainstream app stores does not necessarily eliminate the underlying technology.
For users in India, the immediate impact is that Bitchat is no longer available through the affected mainstream app distribution channels. The availability of the application outside India has not been affected in the same way, according to Apple’s notice.
The government’s action is likely to keep the discussion around digital communication, privacy, public order and internet restrictions active. It also raises questions about how existing technology laws should be applied to applications that are designed to operate outside traditional internet infrastructure.
For now, the specific legal and factual grounds behind the latest MeitY direction remain subject to the government’s order and any subsequent disclosures or legal proceedings. Users and developers should therefore rely on official notifications and verified statements rather than assuming that the removal itself proves that the application or its developers committed an offence.
The Bitchat case represents a significant development in India’s evolving approach to decentralised communication technologies. As messaging platforms increasingly explore peer to peer and offline functionality, governments and technology companies are likely to face similar questions about regulation, security, privacy and lawful access to communications.
