What's blocked in India
TikTok and hundreds of Chinese apps have been banned since 2020, and India leads the world in regional internet shutdowns.
- WhatsApp: Works
- Voice & video calls: Works
- Telegram: Works
- Signal: Works
- Discord: Works
- Facebook: Works
- Instagram: Works
- X (Twitter): Works
- TikTok: Blocked
- YouTube: Works
- Google: Works
- Works
- Age-gated
- Partly blocked
- Slowed down
- Blocked
App by app
| App | Status | Since | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blocked | Jun 2020 | Banned with 58 other Chinese apps. | |
| TikTok | Blocked | Jun 2020 | |
| PUBG Mobile | Blocked | Sep 2020 | Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) is the licensed local version. |
| Free Fire | Blocked | Feb 2022 | The original Free Fire was banned; Free Fire MAX was not on the list. |
| PayPal | Partly blocked | No payments between Indian users; cross-border works. |
Not offered in India
These companies don't sell their service here. That's a business or sanctions decision, not government censorship.
Working normally
Social media
Video, TV & music
The 3 VPNs that fit India
Our assessment, plus what visitors in India are reporting this week.
Picked for streaming and everyday privacy.
NordVPN
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Surfshark
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ExpressVPN
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Not sure about these three? See 3 more VPNs CyberGhost, Private Internet Access and Proton VPN
CyberGhost
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Private Internet Access
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Proton VPN
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We earn a commission if you buy a VPN through our links. It never changes what we report as blocked. How we pick and how we make money
What's going on
India banned TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps in June 2020, and the ban is still in force. State governments regularly shut down mobile internet during exams, protests and unrest, especially in Jammu & Kashmir and Manipur.
Before you connect: Indian IP addresses on these VPNs come from virtual servers located abroad.
Is a VPN legal in India?
Legal
VPN use is legal, but 2022 CERT-In rules require providers to keep user logs. Many VPNs, including NordVPN, Proton VPN and Surfshark, removed physical Indian servers in response.
This is general information, not legal advice.
Questions people ask
Which apps are blocked in India?
Yes. WeChat, TikTok, PUBG Mobile and Free Fire are blocked in India.
Which streaming and online services are not available in India?
HBO Max, Hulu and BBC iPlayer are not offered in India. That is the companies' decision, often because of licensing or sanctions.
Is it legal to use a VPN in India?
Legal. VPN use is legal, but 2022 CERT-In rules require providers to keep user logs. Many VPNs, including NordVPN, Proton VPN and Surfshark, removed physical Indian servers in response.
Which VPN works in India?
Our picks for India are NordVPN, Surfshark and ExpressVPN. Check the live votes on this page for this week's results.
Report a block
Seeing something different in India? An editor reviews every report before the page changes.