What's blocked in India
TikTok and hundreds of Chinese apps have been banned since 2020, and India leads the world in regional shutdowns, including in central Delhi in October 2026.
- 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 | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blocked | Jun 2020 | Banned with 58 other Chinese apps. | How to unblock | |
| TikTok | Blocked | Jun 2020 | How to unblock | |
| PUBG Mobile | Blocked | Sep 2020 | Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) is the licensed local version. | How to unblock |
| Free Fire | Blocked | Feb 2022 | The original Free Fire was banned; Free Fire MAX was not on the list. | How to unblock |
| Mobile Legends: Bang Bang | Blocked | Jun 2020 | Banned with 58 other apps. A separate Indian edition, Moba Legends: 5v5!, launched in April 2024. | How to unblock |
| AliExpress | Blocked | Nov 2020 | Banned with 42 other Chinese apps. | |
| 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.
- HBO Max
- Hulu
- BBC iPlayer
- Peacock
Working normally
Chat & calls
Social media
Video, TV & music
Games
Privacy & tools
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. In October 2026 Delhi Police, with Home Ministry approval, cut mobile internet within 4 km of the Janpath–Kartavya Path crossing for 24 hours from 9 October ahead of a protest at Jantar Mantar.
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, Free Fire, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and AliExpress are blocked in India.
Which streaming and online services are not available in India?
HBO Max, Hulu, BBC iPlayer and Peacock 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.