Telegram Banned in India Over NEET Paper Leak — Reliance Communications Accused of Global BGP Hijacking in 2026
India's decision to temporarily ban Telegram in June 2026 triggered one of the most explosive controversies in the country's recent tech history drawing in allegations of deliberate sabotage, a global internet routing incident, and accusations from Telegram's own CEO directed at one of India's biggest telecom operators. Here is everything you need to know about what happened, why it happened, and what it means for millions of users in India and beyond. Why Did India Ban Telegram? On June 16, 2026, India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology better known as MeitY invoked Section 69A of the Information Technology Act to restrict access to Telegram across the entire country. The ban was introduced until June 22, acting on a recommendation from the National Testing Agency. The trigger was the NEET India's National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test, the largest medical entrance examination in the country, taken by millions of students every year. L...