The Indian government has directed GitHub to remove repositories hosting Bitchat, the decentralised messaging application created by Twitter (now X) co-founder Jack Dorsey, citing concerns that the platform could be used to evade lawful surveillance and facilitate unlawful activities.
The direction was issued by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), the cybercrime arm of the Ministry of Home Affairs, under provisions of the Information Technology Act and the Information Technology Rules, 2021. GitHub has been asked to disable access to the identified repositories within three hours.
Why The Government Ordered The Block?
According to the I4C notification, Bitchat enables decentralised peer-to-peer messaging over Bluetooth mesh networks without relying on mobile networks, internet connectivity or centralised servers.
The government said such an architecture makes lawful interception, attribution and investigation by law enforcement agencies significantly more difficult.
The order stated that intelligence inputs suggest platforms of this nature could be exploited to coordinate unlawful assemblies, violent protests, spread misinformation, promote radicalisation and facilitate criminal conspiracies that could threaten India's sovereignty, national security and public order.
The notification invokes Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, Rule 3(1)(d) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, along with relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
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Move Comes Amid Delhi Protests
The action comes during the ongoing Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protests in Delhi, where authorities temporarily suspended mobile internet services in parts of the national capital.
The internet restrictions reportedly increased interest in decentralised communication tools that continue to function even without mobile networks or internet connectivity.
While reports indicate that investigators are examining whether Bluetooth-based messaging applications were used during the protests, authorities have not confirmed that Bitchat itself was used.
What Is Bitchat?
Dorsey introduced Bitchat earlier this month as an open-source messaging platform designed to operate without internet access, Wi-Fi, phone numbers or central servers.
The application uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) mesh networking, allowing nearby smartphones to relay encrypted messages from one device to another. As more devices join the network, messages can travel longer distances by hopping across connected phones.
Unlike conventional messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram, Bitchat does not require user registration or internet connectivity, making it useful during network outages but also more difficult for authorities to monitor.
Repositories Targeted
The government has directed GitHub to remove or disable access to three repositories linked to the Bitchat project, including the primary repository and its Android version.
Jack Dorsey shared screenshots of the I4C notice on X, bringing the government's action into the public domain.
The development marks one of the first regulatory actions against a decentralised Bluetooth-based messaging platform in India, highlighting growing scrutiny of technologies that operate outside conventional telecommunications infrastructure.
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