Recent protests over alleged electoral roll irregularities took a familiar turn when authorities shut down internet access in parts of New Delhi. The blackout, framed by officials as a necessary security measure, casts a renewed spotlight on India’s record in internet shutdowns. India’s share of global internet shutdowns rose from 37 per cent in 2016 to 63 per cent in 2020 during Covid-19, before declining to 41 per cent in 2022 and further to 21 per cent in 2025. Despite this decline, India still ranked second globally in 2025, behind Myanmar and ahead of Pakistan. Data for 2016-2025 shows that more than half of all internet shutdowns in India occurred in Jammu and Kashmir (50.8 per cent), followed by Manipur (8.1 per cent) and Rajasthan (7.6 per cent). In recent years, protests have emerged as the leading trigger for shutdowns, accounting for 47 per cent of cases in 2025 — up from just 8 per cent in 2021. Communal violence was the second-largest cause, with its share rising from 6 per cent to 24 per cent over the same period.
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