Apple has removed Bitchat, the offline messaging application developed by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, from its India App Store. This action follows a directive issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000.
Dorsey publicly announced the removal on October 3, 2026, sharing a screenshot of Apple's App Review notification. Apple's notice confirmed the application's removal from the Indian marketplace, stating it was due to a demand from MeitY regarding content deemed illegal in India and thus non-compliant with Apple's App Review Guidelines.
What is Bitchat?
Bitchat is a unique decentralized messaging platform designed to operate without reliance on mobile networks, internet connectivity, or centralized servers. It leverages Bluetooth mesh technology, allowing nearby devices to relay messages to one another, which enables communication even during internet disruptions or in areas with no network coverage.
While its ability to facilitate communication independently of conventional infrastructure has been seen as a feature by users, these same characteristics have raised significant concerns among authorities regarding lawful interception and investigation capabilities.
Government Scrutiny and Legal Basis
The latest directive from MeitY invokes Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000, which empowers the central government to instruct intermediaries to block public access to specific information under certain legal circumstances. However, Apple's notification to Dorsey did not specify the particular content within Bitchat considered illegal or the exact grounds cited under Section 69A, directing the developer to MeitY for further details.
This is not the first instance of Indian authorities targeting Bitchat. Earlier in 2026, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), operating under the Ministry of Home Affairs, issued a notice to GitHub, demanding the removal of Bitchat repositories. That previous action was based on Section 79(3)(b) of the IT Act, making the current MeitY order a distinct government intervention.
Apple confirmed that Bitchat's removal is specific to India, and the application remains available in other territories selected by the developer via App Store Connect. Additionally, the TestFlight version of Bitchat is no longer available for testing in India, with public TestFlight links ceasing to function within the country.