In a recent development, the account of the Chinese state-run propaganda mouthpiece, Global Times, is now available in India.
Earlier, India briefly blocked the account due to concerns over misinformation related to recent tensions between India and Pakistan.
Upon opening Global Times’s account, the following message is displayed: “Account Withheld” “@globaltimesnews has been withheld in IN in response to a legal demand.”
Earlier on May 8, Global Government Affairs said Social media platform X had received executive orders from the Indian government requiring it to block over 8,000 accounts in India, subject to potential penalties including significant fines and imprisonment of the company’s local employees.
(1/n) Dear @globaltimesnews , we would recommend you verify your facts and cross-examine your sources before pushing out this kind of dis-information. https://t.co/xMvN6hmrhe
— India in China (@EOIBeijing) May 7, 2025
The orders include demands to block access to accounts belonging to international news organisations and prominent X users in India. On May 7, India’s Embassy in China rebuked the Chinese media outlet Global Times for reporting that Pakistan’s military shot down an Indian fighter jet and advised verifying facts and sources before publishing such reports. “Dear @globaltimesnews, we would recommend you verify your facts and cross-examine your sources before pushing out this kind of disinformation,” the Embassy of India in Beijing, China, said on X.
India on May 8 had categorically rejected Pakistan’s malicious misinformation campaign, which falsely claimed the destruction of critical Indian military assets and infrastructure.
Addressing a joint press conference by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Defence on Operation Sindoor, Wing Commander Vyomika Singh highlighted Pakistan’s attempts to spread disinformation about damage caused to the S-400 system at Adhampur, airfields at Suratgarh and Sirsa, Brahmos space at Nagrota, and artillery-gun positions in Dehrangyari and Chandigarh, among other allegations. She emphasised that India unequivocally rejects these false narratives, which are part of a broader strategy to undermine India’s military capabilities and instil fear among the public.
“Pakistan has also attempted to execute a continued malicious misinformation campaign, with claims of destruction of the Indian S-400 system at Adhampur, destruction of airfields at Suratgarh and Sirsa, Brahmos space at Nagrota, and Arti-gun positions in Dehrangyari and Chandigarh forward ammunition depot, with heavy damages to other military stations being propagated across social media,” she said.
“India unequivocally rejects these false narratives being spread by Pakistan,” the Wing Commander added.
