India is the country most frequently implementing internet shutdowns, even more so than authoritarian states like Russia and China, according to digital rights groups. From 2016 to May 2023, India accounted for over half of all recorded shutdowns worldwide. During this period, Indian officials issued legal orders to suspend mobile data transmission and freeze wired broadband connections on over 680 occasions. While the government argues that these shutdowns are necessary to prevent the spread of rumors and control unrest, critics argue that they are used to stifle dissent, conceal abuses, and hinder independent reporting during times of conflict. The practice also has significant economic consequences, disrupting commerce, work, and education. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has warned that these shutdowns violate basic rights of expression and may contribute to further violence and human rights violations. In Manipur, where ethnic conflict has resulted in one of the longest internet shutdowns ever recorded, the government has been able to control the narrative and suppress opposition. Activists have resorted to creative methods, such as secretly connecting internet cables and conducting shoe-leather journalism, to fight against this information blackout. India has become a world leader in ordering internet shutdowns, with blackouts lasting for a few days, months, or even longer.
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