India Ranks Second Globally in Internet Shutdowns 2025 | 04 Apr 2026

Why in News? 

According to a recent report by Access Now and the #KeepItOn coalition, India recorded 65 internet shutdowns in 2025, making it one of the top countries globally to enforce connectivity blackouts despite being a democratic nation. 

Key Points 

• Source: The data from the annual internet governance report titled “Rising Repression Meets Global Resistance: Internet Shutdowns in 2025” published by Access Now and the #KeepItOn coalition.  
• Global Shutdown Trend: In 2025, there were 313 deliberate internet shutdowns recorded across 52 countries, marking the highest number ever documented in a calendar year. 
  • Myanmar topped the world with 95 internet shutdowns. 
• India’s Rank: India ranked second globally with 65 instances of internet crackdowns in 2025 — its lowest since 2017 — deployed mainly during religious events, protests, and communal violence across 12 states and territories. 
• Reason: The disruptions were imposed mainly during protests, conflict situations, communal violence, and religious holidays, reflecting the use of shutdowns as a tool to manage unrest and public order issues.