Telegram CEO Accuses Reliance of BGP Hijacking to Block App Access

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has accused Indian telecom giant Reliance of using BGP hijacking—a technique that manipulates internet routing—to disrupt access to Telegram for millions of users beyond India, including in the UAE. Durov alleged the sabotage was intentional and ignored multiple reports.

Durov suggested the action may stem from competitive rivalry, noting Reliance's partial ownership by Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, Telegram's primary competitor. He urged network operators to reject unauthorised BGP announcements from Reliance and implied the company may be connected to lobbying efforts to ban Telegram in India.