Telegram CEO Durov alleges Reliance role in access disruption

Published 17 June 2026 · finance

Telegram founder Pavel Durov has levelled a serious accusation against Reliance, claiming Reliance disrupted access to Telegram for users outside India through a practice known

Telegram founder Pavel Durov has levelled a serious accusation against Reliance, claiming Reliance disrupted access to Telegram for users outside India through a practice known as Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) hijacking. The allegation, made publicly on X platform, has reignited debate around internet infrastructure, platform competition and government regulation. The claims remain unverified, and Reliance has not publicly responded. To understand the significance of the allegation, it is important to understand how the internet works. BGP is often described as the internet’s routing system. Every message sent on Telegram, every file downloaded and every connection established depends on networks around the world knowing where Telegram’s servers are located. BGP acts as the digital map that directs this traffic across thousands of interconnected networks. When functioning normally, BGP ensures data reaches its destination efficiently. However, if a network incorrectly or falsely announces itself as the preferred route for certain internet traffic, that traffic can be redirected, delayed or dropped entirely. This is commonly known as BGP hijacking. In practical terms, users may experience outages, connection failures, slower speeds or complete inability to access a service. For a platform with hundreds of millions of users like Telegram, a routing disruption can have immediate international consequences.

Durov’s allegation suggests that Telegram traffic was intentionally misrouted, affecting users outside India, including in the UAE. Such claims are highly consequential because internet routing incidents can disrupt services across multiple countries within minutes. However, while routing anomalies can often be detected technically, proving deliberate sabotage requires substantial independent verification. At present, no publicly available evidence has conclusively established either the cause or intent behind the alleged disruption. Indian telecom Reliance is sabotaging access to Telegram for millions of users OUTSIDE India (including the UAE) via a rogue method called BGP hijacking. The sabotage seems intentional, as Reliance has ignored multiple reports. This may be part of a competitive war, as… — Pavel Durov (@durov) June 16, 2026 India’s temporary ban What makes the controversy particularly noteworthy is that it comes at a time when Telegram is already facing direct action from the Indian government. On June 16, New Delhi temporarily blocked Telegram nationwide until June 22, citing concerns that organised exam-fraud networks had used the platform to circulate leaked medical entrance examination material and deceive students ahead of the NEET-UG re-examination. Authorities also directed Telegram to disable certain message-editing functions until June 30, arguing that the feature had been used to manipulate timestamps and fabricate evidence related to examination leaks.