Following the Delhi High Court's decision to uphold the government's block on Telegram until June 22, many Indian users have turned to proxy networks and VPNs to access the messaging platform. Telegram was removed from both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store in India, prompting users to seek alternative methods to maintain connectivity, according to medianama.com.
Telegram supports native proxy network configurations within its app, allowing users to connect via MTProto Proxy or SOCKS5 Proxy. Users can enable proxies by navigating to Settings, then Data & Storage, and finally Proxy Settings, where they can input server, port, and secret details. For example, connecting to the proxy server free.vnespiska.org on port 9443 with a specific secret key enables access despite the block. Users can also create their own proxy networks to circumvent restrictions, as detailed in guides and Telegram’s official GitHub repository.
The use of proxy networks and VPNs to bypass government-imposed internet censorship is a common tactic in India’s digital landscape. The Telegram block reflects ongoing tensions between the government and social media platforms over content regulation. Similar measures have been seen with other apps, making proxy and VPN usage a critical tool for users seeking unrestricted access. Telegram’s removal from app stores further complicates access, pushing users towards manual configuration of proxies or third-party tools.
The Delhi High Court’s block on Telegram is set to last until June 22, after which the situation will be reassessed. Meanwhile, users continue to rely on proxy servers like free.vnespiska.org and VPN services to maintain their communication channels, as documented by medianama.com.