Telegram CEO Opposed the Nationwide Ban
The government has ordered Google and Apple to delist the Telegram app nationwide, aiming to prevent possible paper leaks. The officials have also requested Telegram disable the message editing feature in India till 30th June.
The CEO of Telegram, Pavel Durov, criticised this ban and argued that the decision has nothing to do with the leaks. On his post in the X platform, he emphasised that the restriction seemed like sabotage and accused Whatsapp being behind this move.
India currently has the largest Telegram user base around the world. 45% of the country’s population uses Telegram, with 104.04 million downloads. The app is not only a messaging platform for regular users but also vital for students, business, and tech groups. Even though there has been student support for this restriction; authorities requested that the government should focus on the root of the problem, those who leaked the examination papers.
Analysis of Ban Effect on TON: Telegram’s Official Web3 Infrastructure
For crypto investors, the data paints an alarming picture. India is not only historically one of the world’s most dynamic hubs for digital asset adoption but also stands as Telegram’s largest individual download market globally. TON blockchain architecture is deeply dependent on Telegram’s core interface. It relies on the app for non-custodial crypto wallets, decentralised applications (dApps), and popular tap-to-earn games like Notcoin. So, blocking 150 million users from accessing Telegram will create an immediate liquidity and engagement vacuum overnight.
The effect of this national ban on the crypto market was direct and harsh. The price of Gram (TON) showed a 3.7% decrease, sliding rapidly from $1.80 down to $1.62 in 24 hours. The Indian government’s one-week restriction caused more than a 10% decline in the TON’s price. decline was greater than 10%.
Can Decentralised Ecosystems Survive in a Centralised World?
Although the government states that the restriction is a temporary situation, it’s not the first-time platform ban in the country’s history. India has banned TikTok, along with many other Chinese apps, since 2020 under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act over national security concerns.
If legal negotiations stall and a permanent platform ban remains on the horizon, the broader Web3 sphere faces an existential riddle: Can an ecosystem built on decentralised identity survive in a very centralised world? For now, the future of the TON network depends entirely on the court proceedings in New Delhi.
