Elon Musk's Lawsuit Against the Indian Government: Is the Modi Government Stifling Free Speech?
The dispute began when X filed a lawsuit against the Indian government in March 2025
A fierce legal battle is underway between Elon Musk’s social media company X (formerly Twitter) and the government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over internet censorship.
The dispute began when X filed a lawsuit against the Indian government in March 2025, arguing that the government’s orders to remove social media content violate freedom of expression and are against the Indian constitution.
The Indian government maintains that it is taking action against illegal content, fake news and hate speech. The government introduced a web portal called “Sahyog” in October 2024, through which hundreds of government agencies and police officials can now request the removal of content directly from social media platforms.
Elon Musk’s company claims it was also asked to remove political criticism, satirical posts, and cartoons. For example, one post showed Prime Minister Modi and a state chief minister fighting a “red dinosaur” representing inflation, which authorities called “provocative.”
According to court documents, between March 2024 and June 2025, India asked X to remove more than 1,400 posts and accounts. Some of these posts were based on fake information and objectionable content, but many were political satire or criticism of the government.
Elon Musk, who calls himself a “supporter of free speech,” has faced conflicts with governments in several countries, including India, over this issue. However, India, where X has millions of users, is also an important market for Musk.
Although Musk and Modi’s personal relationship is apparently cordial, the legal battle has become an example of the clash between technology, expression, and government authority.
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