India Orders GitHub to Remove Jack Dorsey Backed Bitchat Code

Indian authorities have taken direct action against Bitchat, a Bluetooth mesh messaging app backed by Block chief executive Jack Dorsey. The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre issued a sudden order demanding that GitHub remove three code repositories associated with the project. GitHub, which is owned by Microsoft, was given a tight window of just three hours to comply with the directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Bitchat relies on decentralized Bluetooth technology to let users send messages without relying on traditional internet connections or cellular networks. This setup makes it difficult for authorities to monitor or censor communications, which likely drew the attention of regulators. The sudden takedown request highlights growing tensions between decentralized tech developers and government agencies seeking tighter control over digital platforms.

For traders and crypto followers, this move signals a broader trend of increased scrutiny on privacy tools and decentralized applications in major global markets. Regulatory pressure on open source code repositories could impact how developers share and build censorship resistant tools moving forward. Observers will be watching to see if GitHub fights the order or if similar takedown requests spread to other privacy focused projects in the region.