Apple has removed the offline messaging application, Bitchat, from its India App Store following a demand from the MeitY, Jack Dorsey said on Saturday.
In a post on X, Dorsey said, “Government of India officially removes Bitchat from the App Store.” The app’s developer and Twitter co-founder also shared a screenshot of what appeared to be a notice from Apple’s App Review team.
The notice said that the app would be removed “per demand from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)” and because “it includes content that is illegal in India”.
“We are writing to notify you that your application, per demand from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), will be removed from the India App Store because it includes content that is illegal in India, which is not in compliance with the App Review Guidelines,” the attached notice said.
That particular section, the notice said, requires apps to follow all legal requirements in any location where they are offered. It says developers are responsible for understanding and complying with local laws, beyond Apple’s own guidelines.
According to the post, MeitY issued the takedown demand under Section 69(A) of the Information Technology Act, 2000. The Apple notice said that the developer of the app can contact the ministry directly for more information about the removal or about Indian laws and requirements.
Bitchat Was Flagged During CJP Protests
In July, during the Cockroach Janta Party’s protests, the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre had ordered Microsoft subsidiary GitHub to remove Bitchat. Several protesters reportedly used the Bluetooth-based messaging apps despite the government-imposed temporary restrictions on internet services around the protest site.
Reacting to the same, Dorsey said, “The Government of India does not like technologies like Bitchat and wants it taken down.”
Why Government Flagged Bitchat
According to I4C, the app enables communication even during network restrictions and since communications occur directly between nearby devices through a decentralised mesh network, the platform could be misused to evade lawful surveillance, facilitate anonymous coordination, and circumvent lawful restrictions imposed by competent authorities during situations involving public disorder, riots, terrorism, organised crime, or internet shutdowns.
It creates a substantial risk of misuse by anti-national elements, terrorist organisations, organised criminal groups and cyber criminals seeking to evade lawful detection and continue communication despite legally imposed restrictions.
It said that the absence of a centralised service provider also limits the ability of law enforcement agencies to obtain subscriber information, communication records, or timely assistance during investigations.
