India orders Apple to remove Bitchat from App Store

Apple removed Bitchat from the App Store in India after an order from the country’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Jack Dorsey posted an Apple App Review notice on October 3, 2026, attributing the decision to a demand issued under Section 69A of India’s Information Technology Act.

The notice shared by Dorsey says the app contains material considered illegal in India, but it does not publicly identify that content or the specific legal ground invoked by the government. The action also stops distribution of test builds through TestFlight in the country. According to the notice, availability in other territories is unaffected.

Bitchat was also unavailable on Google Play in India when TechCrunch checked both stores on Saturday. That observation does not automatically establish that the Android removal came from the same order: as of the report, it was unclear whether Google or internet service providers had received equivalent directions. Apple, Google, and the Indian ministry had not responded to the publication’s requests for comment.

The order restricts distribution, not the software itself

Bitchat is a decentralized, open-source messenger. At short range, nearby phones form a Bluetooth mesh, discover other devices, and relay messages without relying on Wi-Fi, cellular service, an account, a phone number, or a central server. When an internet connection is available, the project also uses Nostr relays to extend its reach.

That architecture reduces dependence on centralized infrastructure during internet outages, emergencies, and protests. It does not remove centralized distribution points. Apple and Google still control the stores through which most users install mobile apps, and Apple also controls TestFlight. A decentralized network can therefore remain technically operational while access to new installations is restricted.

At the time of the check, Bitchat’s repository remained public on GitHub, and the official site still linked to the iOS and Android source code, the Google Play listing, and APK releases. The project is released into the public domain. Store removal is therefore not the same as deleting the code, but it also does not guarantee that repositories, the website, or alternative files remain accessible inside India. The project itself recommends checking the origin and release hashes of compiled builds because unofficial copies may not match the published source.

Section 69A leaves key questions unanswered

Section 69A allows India’s central government to order public blocking of information on digital systems for reasons including sovereignty, state security, foreign relations, public order, or preventing certain crimes. The law requires reasons to be recorded, but the Apple notice made public does not disclose which of those grounds was applied to Bitchat.

It is also important to distinguish evidence of the order from a public government explanation. The available evidence is the Apple notice shared by Dorsey and reporting that independently verified the removal; no ministry statement explaining the case was found. Indian authorities had previously sought restrictions on the app’s GitHub repositories in July, according to TechCrunch and The Economic Times.

The episode highlights a practical difference between a protocol, its code, and its distribution channel. A government can target stores and intermediaries even when a service has no central server. At the same time, the continued availability of open-source code makes the restriction less equivalent to a complete shutdown. It remains unclear whether existing installations are affected, whether the decision will be appealed, or which content prompted the order.