Jack Dorsey’s decentralized messaging app Bitchat has been removed from Apple and Google app stores in India following a government order under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, according to a notice Apple sent to Dorsey. The app, which enables encrypted messaging without internet access, was also blocked on Apple’s TestFlight beta service and became inaccessible via various Indian internet service providers, TechCrunch reported.
The Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued the removal demand, which Apple communicated to Dorsey on Saturday. While Bitchat remains available on Apple’s App Store outside India, the app’s website and Google Play downloads were also unavailable in the country. Apple, Google, and the IT ministry did not respond to requests for comment. Bitchat was launched in July last year and uses Bluetooth mesh networking to facilitate communication without cellular or internet connectivity.
Bitchat’s removal highlights the Indian government’s increasing scrutiny of decentralized and encrypted communication platforms. The app’s design to operate without centralized servers or internet access may have raised regulatory concerns under India’s IT laws. The move follows earlier restrictions imposed on Bitchat by Indian authorities in July 2026, reflecting ongoing tensions around digital sovereignty and control over communication technologies in India.
The government order under Section 69A, which empowers authorities to block online content deemed harmful, was the legal basis for Bitchat’s removal. The app’s unavailability on major platforms and internet providers in India marks a significant enforcement of this provision, with implications for other decentralized apps operating in the country.