New Delhi — India Pulls Dorsey's Bitchat App From App Stores

Bitchat, the offline messaging app built by former Twitter chief executive Jack Dorsey, is no longer available through Apple's App Store or Google Play in India after the country's technology ministry ordered its removal, according to TechCrunch. Dorsey said Saturday that India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology had directed Apple to pull the app, and Apple's notice to Dorsey — which he posted on X — cited Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, the law India uses for government-ordered online blocking.

The disappearance leaves Indian users without an app that was designed specifically to function when conventional networks do not.

What did the government's order say?

Apple's notice, per TechCrunch, stated that Bitchat would stay available outside India but that even TestFlight, Apple's beta-testing channel, would be blocked inside the country. Bitchat was also absent from Google Play in India when TechCrunch checked, and the app's website was unreachable across multiple Indian internet providers. TechCrunch reported it was not immediately clear whether Google or internet service providers had received separate government directions, and Apple, Google and India's IT ministry did not respond to requests for comment.

How does Bitchat work without an internet connection?

Launched in July 2025, Bitchat uses Bluetooth mesh networking so nearby devices can trade encrypted messages without cellular service, internet access or centralized servers, according to TechCrunch's reporting.

Why is this the second action against the app this year?

This is not India's first move against Bitchat. In July 2026, Dorsey said Indian authorities had separately ordered GitHub to remove repositories tied to the open-source project. That earlier order invoked a different section of the IT law, one governing intermediary liability for third-party content, rather than Section 69A. TechCrunch reported that India's government told GitHub at the time that Bitchat's design made it difficult for law enforcement to intercept communications or trace users, and flagged its ability to keep working during internet shutdowns.

What are digital rights groups saying?

The Internet Freedom Foundation, a New Delhi-based advocacy group, called the latest order unconstitutional, arguing to TechCrunch that Section 69A permits blocking unlawful information, not an app over its offline capability. The group also said neither the blocking order nor any underlying illegal content had been made public.

Timeline at a glance

• July 2025: Bitchat launches using Bluetooth mesh networking.
• July 2026: India orders GitHub to remove Bitchat repositories under intermediary-liability provisions.
• October 2026: India orders Apple, under Section 69A, to remove Bitchat; app also vanishes from Google Play and becomes inaccessible via its website.

What to watch

• Whether Google or Indian ISPs confirm receiving a formal takedown order.
• Any public disclosure of the blocking order or the content India says justifies it.
• Legal challenges from the Internet Freedom Foundation or other digital rights groups.
• Dorsey's response, including whether Bitchat pursues alternate distribution in India.

The restrictions land as India faces youth-led protests over changes to voter rolls, during which TechCrunch reported police detained several people, though the report did not establish a direct link between the protests and the Bitchat order.