Is Telegram Down Today In India? When Will Ban End? CEO Pavel Durov Comments On Restriction

Telegram users in India reported access problems on Tuesday, June 16, with many unable to open chats, send messages, load channels or download media. The disruption triggered one big question online: is Telegram banned in India? For now, the answer is no. The app has been temporarily restricted in the country under a time-bound government order linked to the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination.

Why Is Telegram Down In India?

The restriction is not being described as a permanent ban on Telegram. According to details reported by PTI, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued directions under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, after recommendations from the National Testing Agency. The decision has been taken to prevent cheating networks and fake “paper leak” claims.

The National Testing Agency, which conducts NEET-UG and several other major entrance examinations, recommended temporary restrictions because of concerns around organised cheating rackets. The agency said the measure was taken “in the interest of public order” ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination, scheduled for June 21.

When will the Telegram restriction end?

The temporary access restriction is expected to remain in place until June 22, 2026. The NEET-UG 2026 re-examination is scheduled a day earlier, on June 21. This means users may continue to face problems with the app until the order period ends, depending on how telecom and internet service providers implement the direction.

Users should also note that the issue is not limited to one phone model, app version or internet operator. If Telegram is not loading on mobile data or Wi-Fi, the cause may still be the same access restriction. Reinstalling the app, clearing cache or restarting the phone may not restore normal service during the restricted period.

Some users have reported that chats are not refreshing, media files are not downloading, and groups or channels are failing to open. These are expected symptoms when access to a platform is restricted at the network level. In such cases, the account itself is usually not deleted, suspended or individually blocked.

Is Telegram permanently banned in India?

Based on the available information, Telegram has not been permanently banned in India. The restriction has been described as temporary and linked specifically to the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination. The access block is expected to end on June 22, while the message-editing restriction is reported to continue until June 30.

Telegram CEO Comments On Ban In India

Pavel Durov took to X to express his disappointment over the ban. He tweeted, "India's IT ministry banned Telegram for one week because some users shared leaked exam questions. This punishes 150M+ ordinary Telegram users in India - not the insiders who leaked the exam materials. And the ban hasn't stopped anything. The leaks just moved to other apps (sic)."