When Will Telegram Be Restored in India?
Telegram's temporary ban in India is scheduled to be lifted on June 22, 2026, according to the timeline set by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). However, the platform's message-editing feature for previously sent messages will remain restricted until June 30.
Telegram's temporary ban in India is scheduled to be lifted on June 22, 2026, according to the timeline set by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). However, the platform's message-editing feature for previously sent messages will remain restricted until June 30.
Despite the deadline arriving, Telegram had not been restored for users at the time of writing. The messaging app also remained unavailable on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store in India, with no official confirmation on when services would fully resume.
According to MeitY's directive, the broader access restriction was to be reviewed and lifted on June 22. However, the separate restriction on editing previously sent messages is set to continue for another eight days. Telegram Ban in India: Users Flock to VPNs and Alternative Apps as Government Blocks Platform Over Exam Fraud Concerns, Says Report.
Experts note that network-level restoration may not happen instantly. Internet service providers could take additional time to implement the rollback of restrictions, meaning access may return gradually across different networks. Similarly, app store relistings may take longer even after the platform is unblocked.
The temporary ban was imposed under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, following recommendations from the National Testing Agency (NTA). Authorities acted after several Telegram channels were allegedly found selling leaked question papers ahead of the NEET (UG) 2026 re-examination conducted on June 21. Is Telegram Ban in India Effective? Users Bypass Restrictions With VPNs Ahead of NEET Re-Test.
Telegram challenged the decision in court, but the Delhi High Court upheld the government's order, stating that due legal procedure had been followed.
Telegram founder Pavel Durov criticised the move, arguing that the ban affected nearly 150 million users in India while failing to prevent exam leaks. Digital rights organisation Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) also questioned the legality and proportionality of the message-editing restriction.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 22, 2026 11:28 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
