Telegram CEO Accuses Reliance of ‘Hijacking’ App’s Network Routes, Claims Corporation is Sabotaging App’s Access Outside India

Key Points

TELEGRAM CEO AND CO-FOUNDER Pavel Durov has accused corporate giant Reliance of sabotaging the app’s access outside of India. Durov says that Reliance is interfering with Telegram’s network connectivity which disrupts the app’s accessibility for users who are based outside India. His comment came days after the Indian government imposed a temporary ban on Telegram to prevent paper leak rackets from exploiting the platform ahead of the Re-NEET exam.

Pavel Durov Alleges Reliance Is Interfering With Telegram Traffic 

In an X post dated June 16, 2026, Durov alleged that Reliance is using a technology known as Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) hijacking to restrict Telegram's network routes. He further said that countries other than India, including United Arab Emirates (UAE), are facing restricted access to Telegram as well owing to Reliance's sabotage and interference.

“Indian telecom Reliance is sabotaging access to Telegram for millions of users OUTSIDE India (including the UAE) via a rogue method called BGP hijacking,” Durov wrote.

What is Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)?

BGP is an internet routing protocol that is used for directing data across global networks by determining the most efficient path. BGP is the core mechanism that makes global communication possible by connecting internet service providers (ISP), large enterprises, and cloud providers. 

BGP hijacking is a type of cybercrime attack where Internet traffic is deliberately rerouted by corrupting the routing tables maintained via BGP. Data routing through unauthorized network routes is a real concern to security experts, as it can divert internet traffic away from its intended path. Consequences of such an attack include massive service outages to the interception of sensitive global traffic.

See also: Social Media Overtakes Traditional Media as Top News Source, Reuters Study Finds

Durov Links Alleged Disruption to Competition With WhatsApp 

Durov further alleged that Reliance is interfering with Telegram’s network routing deliberately, labeling it as an incident of business rivalry in the messaging space market. 

Highlighting Reliance’s business ties with Meta Platforms, the firm that owns and manages another messaging platform WhatsApp (considered to be one of Telegram’s business rivals), Durov says that the whole issue could be related to competition with WhatsApp. “This may be part of a competitive war, as Reliance is partially owned by Meta — the company behind WhatsApp,” Durov claimed.

The Telegram CEO also stated that Reliance has failed to respond to multiple reports regarding the matter. “The sabotage seems intentional, as Reliance has ignored multiple reports,” Durov said.

As of yet, Durov’s claims remain unverified. Reliance also hasn't responded to the CEO’s accusations

See also: CBI Arrests Pune-Based NTA Expert in NEET-UG 2026 Physics Paper Leak Case

Telegram Faces Temporary Ban in India Ahead of Re-NEET Exam 

Durov’s accusations come at a time when Telegram is facing several problems in India as well. The app’s alleged connection to the NEET UG 2026 paper leak has prompted an action from the central government, with Telegram facing a temporary national ban ahead of the Re-NEET examination till June 22, 2026. Temporary restriction to the messaging app was enforced from Monday, June 15, 2026, as Indian authorities cited the app’s alleged use by organized cheating networks involved in examination paper leaks.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) says that Telegram groups are allegedly being used by fraud networks that are trying to target those individuals appearing for the Re-NEET examination scheduled for June 21, 2026. Authorities have also directed Telegram to disable the feature that allows previously posted messages to be edited during the ban period. Officials say that these measures are taken to prevent cheating rackets from exploiting the platform ahead of the examination.

Durov has criticized this decision, arguing that restricting Telegram would do little to prevent those involved in paper leaks. Referring to the temporary national ban on Telegram, he wrote in a separate X post: “This punishes 150M+ ordinary Telegram users in India, not the insiders who leaked the exam materials.” He further added that those involved in such activities simply switch to other platforms.

[Edited by: Harsh Pandey]

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