Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov has accused Reliance of disrupting access to Telegram for users outside India, days after the Indian government temporarily blocked the messaging platform over concerns related to the NEET re-examination. In a post on X, Durov claimed that Reliance's network made changes to internet routing that affected Telegram users in countries outside India. He alleged that these changes caused access issues for some users and described the incident as a form of "BGP hijacking," a technical term used when internet traffic is directed through incorrect routes. According to Durov, the issue was not limited to India and impacted Telegram users in other regions as well. He claimed that Reliance had been informed about the problem but the issue remained unresolved. The allegations come shortly after the government ordered atemporary restrictionon Telegram until June 22, citing concerns over the spread of leaked NEET examination material. Durov had earliercriticizedthe move, saying that blocking Telegram would affect millions of users without addressing the root cause of the leaks. In his latest comments, Durov also hinted at a possible competitive angle. He pointed out that Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, has invested in Jio Platforms. WhatsApp is Telegram's biggest rival in India and several other markets. The claims have sparked discussion in the technology industry because they suggest that users outside India may also have been affected. However, Durov has not publicly shared detailed technical evidence supporting the allegations. Reliance has not yet issued a public response to the claims. Independent verification from internet monitoring firms is also awaited. Entrackr has reached out to Reliance for comment. If confirmed, the allegations could raise questions about internet access, telecom networks, and the treatment of digital platforms during government-imposed restrictions. Bareback Media has recently raised funding from a group of investors. Some of the investors may directly or indirectly be involved in a competing business or might be associated with other companies we might write about. This shall, however, not influence our reporting or coverage in any manner whatsoever. You may find a list of our investorshere.
