# India blocks Bitchat downloads through Apple and Google stores

_Published Saturday, October 3, 2026 at 12:06 PM EDT · Policy, Products · Latest · Tier 2 — Notable_

![India blocks Bitchat downloads through Apple and Google stores — Primary](https://techcrunch.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/bitchat-unavailable-india-techcrunch.jpg?resize=1200,800)

Bitchat is no longer available through Apple and Google's app stores in India, TechCrunch reports. Jack Dorsey said Saturday that the government ordered Apple to remove the messaging app; Apple's notice cited Section 69A of India's Information Technology Act and also blocked access through TestFlight.

Bitchat uses Bluetooth connections between nearby devices to exchange encrypted messages without internet access or centralized servers. The restriction follows a July government order targeting its GitHub repositories.

TechCrunch also found Bitchat's website inaccessible across various Indian internet providers. Whether Google and those providers received government directions was unclear. Apple's notice said the app would remain available outside India.

## Sources

- [TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2026/10/03/jack-dorseys-bitchat-disappears-from-app-stores-in-india-after-government-order/)

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Canonical: https://techandbusiness.org/newswire/sF-PZU27b6r8Ce88s8Q8_Z
Published: 2026-10-03T16:06:53.078Z
Story chronology: 2026-10-03T15:02:01.000Z
Retrieved: 2026-10-03T19:11:19.237Z
Publisher: Tech & Business (techandbusiness.org)