Apple removed Jack Dorsey’s Bitchat from India’s App Store after the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued a demand under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000. Google Play no longer listed the app in India, and Bitchat’s website was inaccessible across several internet service providers, although it was unclear whether Google and the providers received government directions. Apple said Bitchat remained available outside India but blocked its TestFlight beta in the country. The open-source app uses Bluetooth mesh networking to relay encrypted messages between nearby devices without cellular networks, internet access or centralized servers. The action follows July 2026 restrictions targeting Bitchat repositories and other messaging apps, including orders involving GitHub that cited a different legal provision. Digital rights advocates say Section 69A permits blocking unlawful information but not an app because it can operate during internet shutdowns, and they criticized the lack of public disclosure of the order and underlying content. The latest restrictions came during youth-led protests over voter rolls, after authorities suspended internet access near New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. Bitchat accounted for about 85% of global downloads from July 17 to July 23, up from roughly 1% in the preceding 30 days, according to Sensor Tower.