India cracks down on VPN use in Kashmir

SRINAGAR, Kashmir (MNTV) — Authorities in the border districts of Rajouri and Poonch in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir have imposed a two-month ban on virtual private networks (VPNs), expanding what rights advocates describe as one of the world’s harshest regimes of digital censorship and surveillance. 

The order directs internet providers, cyber cafés and private users to block and discontinue all VPN access, warning of legal prosecution for violations.

Local officials claimed the ban was necessary to stop what they described as potential “misuse” of encrypted tools by unspecified “suspicious users.” The suspension was issued under provisions of India’s newly enacted criminal code, signaling a hardening approach to policing online communication in the region. 

VPNs allow users to bypass internet restrictions by masking identities and rerouting connections through external servers.

The suspension marks the latest addition to a long-running pattern of digital repression in the Himalayan territory, which has faced repeated communication shutdowns and online throttling since India revoked its limited autonomy in 2019. 

International digital rights organizations, including Access Now, have repeatedly documented India as the country that imposes the highest number of internet shutdowns in the world, with Kashmir accounting for a large share.

Civil society groups say the ban will severely affect journalists, students, activists and ordinary residents who rely on VPNs to access global news platforms, educational resources and communication tools blocked under India’s security-based censorship structure. 

Media workers in particular depend on secure connections to safely share information with newsrooms and international rights groups in a heavily militarized region where speaking publicly can invite criminal charges.

Analysts note that the government’s justification mirrors a broader strategy used across the region: framing privacy technologies as security threats to justify suppressing dissent, narrowing civic space and criminalizing political expression. 

Human rights defenders warn that expanding criminal penalties for using privacy tools sets a dangerous precedent, effectively treating secure communication as an act of defiance.

The latest measure arrives at a time when global rights groups are calling for India to restore digital freedoms and comply with international human rights standards. 

They argue that transparency, accountability and access to information are essential in conflict-affected areas — not broad bans that silence communities already deprived of political representation.