- Apple removed BitChat from India’s App Store following a reported MeitY demand.
- Apple cited Section 69(A) of the IT Act and unspecified illegal content in India.
- BitChat remains available in other countries and works without internet or phone accounts.
BitChat India App Store removal followed a reported demand from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), according to an Apple App Review notice shared by Jack Dorsey on X. Apple said the app includes content that is illegal in India.
The notice did not identify the specific content involved. Apple cited Section 69(A) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and said developers should contact MeitY directly about the demand. BitChat remains available in other countries.
BitChat India App Store Removal: Why Apple Removed It
Apple’s App Review notice, as shared by Jack Dorsey, said the app was removed from the India App Store “per demand from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)”. Apple also referred to its guideline requiring apps to comply with legal requirements in the countries where they are offered.
Also Read
Apple said BitChat includes content that is illegal in India, but the notice did not explain what that content was. It cited Section 69(A) of the IT Act, 2000, and directed the developers to contact MeitY directly.
BitChat India App Store Removal Is India-Specific
The BitChat India App Store removal does not appear to be a worldwide App Store removal. BitChat remains available in other countries, while public TestFlight links are reportedly cut off for users in India.
As a result, App Store availability can differ depending on the user’s country or region. The reported action concerns availability through the Indian storefront.
What Is BitChat?
BitChat is an open-source, peer-to-peer messaging app designed to work without a traditional internet connection. It uses Bluetooth to send messages between nearby devices and provides end-to-end encryption.
- No phone number is required.
- Users do not need a conventional account to use the messaging system.
- Messages can be sent over Bluetooth without an internet connection.
- The project is open-source.
These features allow BitChat to provide local messaging without depending on the normal internet-based infrastructure used by many messaging services.
Reported BitChat Protest Connection
There has also been reported context around BitChat’s use during protests in India. In July, the network around Jantar Mantar was reportedly shut during student protests, with protesters reportedly using BitChat to communicate.
These reports describe the circumstances around the app’s use, but they do not by themselves establish the reason for Apple’s India App Store removal.
Earlier Action Against BitChat Code
In July, the Cyber Crime Coordination Centre reportedly ordered GitHub to remove BitChat’s code, citing Section 79(3)(b) and concerns that the technology “significantly impedes lawful interception, attribution, and investigation”.
Jack Dorsey also said the government does not like technology of this type. That is Dorsey’s stated view and should not be treated as an independently confirmed explanation for Apple’s action or the BitChat India App Store removal.
What BitChat India App Store Removal Means for iPhone Users
Existing BitChat Installs
Apple’s action removes BitChat from the India App Store, but the available information does not establish that every existing installation on an Indian iPhone has been remotely deleted. Users who already have the app installed may therefore have a different experience from people trying to download it for the first time.
Users Outside India
BitChat remains available in other countries according to the reported information. Apple account and App Store region settings can affect availability, so users outside India may see BitChat listed even though it is unavailable through the Indian storefront.
What Happens Next?
The Apple notice directs BitChat’s developers to contact MeitY about the demand. The specific content that Apple said is illegal in India has not been identified in the information available for this report.
Until more details are provided, the documented points are Apple’s reported notice, its reference to Section 69(A), the India App Store removal and the continued availability of BitChat in other countries. Claims about the app’s use during protests or the reasons behind earlier actions should remain attributed to the reports and statements in which they appeared.
Conclusion
The BitChat India App Store removal followed a reported MeitY demand citing Section 69(A) of the IT Act. Apple has not publicly specified the content it considers illegal in India, while BitChat continues to be available in other countries and remains designed for offline, Bluetooth-based encrypted messaging.
