India turns IIOJK into digital cage through systematic internet shutdowns
65 shutdowns in 2019, 55 in 2020, 116 in 2021, 79 in 2022, 43 in 2023, 11 in 2026
Srinagar : India’s continued suspension of mobile and internet services in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir has turned the territory into a “digital cage”, with residents subjected to systematic digital isolation, surveillance and collective punishment since August 2019.
According to Kashmir Media Service, India remains globally notorious for imposing the highest number of internet shutdowns. International digital rights organisation Access Now has consistently ranked India among the world’s worst offenders for government-imposed internet shutdowns.
Since 2016, India has recorded over 900 shutdowns — nearly half of the global total — while in 2025 alone, the country witnessed 65 shutdown incidents, second only to Myanmar but still the highest among democracies.
Analysts said occupied Jammu and Kashmir remains the most affected territory, accounting for over 60 percent of India’s total internet shutdowns. From 2012 to early 2026, the territory witnessed 447 documented shutdowns, reflecting a deliberate policy of digital repression.
Following the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, the Modi regime imposed a complete communications blackout across the occupied territory. Mobile services, SMS, landlines and internet access were suspended in what became the longest internet shutdown ever recorded in a democracy, lasting 550 days. Even after partial restoration in February 2021, internet speeds remained throttled to 2G at less than or equal to 128 Kbps, severely restricting communication and access to information.
The region recorded 65 shutdowns in 2019, 55 in 2020, 116 in 2021, 79 in 2022, and 43 in 2023, while by early 2026 at least 11 shutdowns had already been imposed. Rights groups said frequent localized blackouts and restrictions have made normal digital life impossible in the territory.
On January 14, 2020, the occupied territory’s Home Department issued Government Order Home-02(TSTS) of 2020, providing legal cover for “Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services” restrictions. The practice was later formalized under the Telecommunications (Temporary Suspension of Services) Rules, 2024, notified under the Telecommunications Act, 2023. Under these provisions, Inspectors General of Police in Kashmir and Jammu are empowered to issue suspension orders directly to telecom and internet service providers without prior democratic oversight.
Observers said the Indian authorities have institutionalized internet shutdowns as a tool of repression, surveillance and control. Digital rights groups including Access Now and SFLC.in have condemned these actions as a form of collective punishment and “digital apartheid”.
The restrictions have severely disrupted education, healthcare, journalism, tourism, business and mental health. Students remained unable to attend online classes, telemedicine services collapsed and journalists struggled to communicate or report freely. Residents described the situation as being forced to “live in the stone age” during prolonged outages.
Analysts said the ongoing crackdown on VPN use, intrusive surveillance systems and restrictions on essential online services further reinforce the perception of occupied Jammu and Kashmir as a “digital apartheid” zone under India’s settler-colonial project.
