Telegram under scrutiny: Why India, the biggest market, has become Pavel Durov firm’s toughest test

India's decision to temporarily restrict Telegram ahead of the Neet-UG 2026 re-examination has become the latest flashpoint between the messaging platform and authorities. But the exam leak controversy is not the first bone of contention to put Telegram under pressure.

Over the years, Telegram has repeatedly faced allegations linked to piracy, online scams and the spread of illegal content, while regulators in several countries have questioned whether the platform's moderation policies are robust enough. The latest clash has attracted particular attention because it is unfolding in India, Telegram's largest market and one of its most important growth engines.

The tensions escalated further after founder and CEO Pavel Durov publicly criticised the government's move and the company approached the Delhi High Court challenging the temporary block. Yet beyond the legal battle lies a broader story of how a platform built around privacy and openness has increasingly found itself at odds with governments around the world.

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Telegram's latest battle centres on Neet leak fears

The controversy stems from the fallout of the alleged leak of the Neet examination paper, which sparked protests across several cities and fuelled anger among students concerned about the integrity of the medical entrance test.

With more than two million candidates expected to take the examination, authorities ordered a re-test and moved to tighten safeguards to prevent another breach. As part of those efforts, the Centre temporarily suspended Telegram services across India until June 22.

According to the National Testing Agency (NTA), the restriction is intended to remain in place only during the examination period and the days immediately afterwards. Officials said the objective was to prevent the circulation and manipulation of sensitive material related to the test.

Authorities have also instructed Telegram to disable its message-editing feature in India until June 30.

Investigators alleged that organised cheating networks had used Telegram channels to target anxious students and their families with promises of leaked papers and guaranteed success. According to the NTA, operators demanded payments ranging from a few thousand rupees to several lakh rupees.

The agency identified channels with names such as "PAPER LEAKED NEET", "Re-NEET 2026" and "Private Mafia", which allegedly misled aspirants by claiming they could provide access to examination papers.

Responding to the government's decision, Durov criticised the measure on X.

“India’s IT ministry banned Telegram for one week because some users shared leaked exam questions. This punishes 150 million+ ordinary Telegram users in India, not the insiders who leaked the exam materials. And the ban hasn’t stopped anything. The leaks have just moved to other apps,” he wrote.

Telegram has since challenged the order in the Delhi High Court.

India has become Telegram's most important market

The latest dispute carries particular weight because no country is more important to Telegram than India.

The platform has built a massive user base in the country, making it its largest market globally. That scale has transformed India into a critical battleground for the company's future, especially as governments around the world intensify scrutiny of digital platforms.

According to the Statista data, India currently has 104 million Telegram users, which is much higher than the rest of the countries.

Any regulatory action in India therefore carries implications far beyond the country's borders. For Telegram, maintaining trust among Indian users while addressing concerns raised by authorities has become an increasingly delicate balancing act.

The current confrontation also highlights the difficult position technology companies face as they attempt to uphold privacy and freedom of communication while preventing misuse of their platforms.

From piracy to scams, Telegram has faced years of scrutiny

Long before the Neet controversy, Telegram had already attracted the attention of regulators.

In March this year, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) ordered the platform to disable more than 3,100 channels accused of illegally distributing copyrighted material. The move came after complaints from content owners, producers and OTT platforms, which alleged that their content was being shared without authorisation.

Government officials said the channels had violated provisions of the Copyright Act, 1957, and directed Telegram to remove them without compromising digital evidence.

Fraud and scam networks have also increasingly gravitated towards the platform. Investigators and cyber experts have repeatedly pointed to Telegram's popularity among groups involved in fake investment schemes, piracy operations and other illicit activities.

While Telegram has consistently argued that it complies with applicable laws and has strengthened its moderation systems, critics have maintained that the platform's structure has made it attractive to bad actors.

A turning point: When Pavel Durov was arrested

The platform's challenges have not been confined to India.

In August 2024, Telegram founder Pavel Durov was arrested after arriving in Paris, where French authorities later charged him with several offences linked largely to the handling of criminal content on the platform.

The incident sparked international debate about free speech and the responsibilities of technology companies.

Telegram defended its practices at the time, saying that its moderation standards complied with European Union regulations and industry norms.

However, figures released later suggested the episode had a significant impact on the company's approach to law enforcement cooperation.

Telegram's disclosures showed that the platform shared substantially more information with French authorities during the second half of 2024. Hundreds of requests for IP addresses and phone numbers were processed, affecting more than 2,000 users.

For supporters, Telegram remains a powerful symbol of privacy and free communication. For critics, it illustrates the challenges that arise when openness and anonymity intersect with criminal activity.

As the company fights its latest legal battle in India, the broader questions surrounding Telegram's responsibilities and the limits of platform freedom are unlikely to disappear anytime soon.