Telegram ban in India sparks a rush to VPNs, rival apps

As India cut disconnected access to messaging app Telegram for a week implicit concerns astir exam-related fraud, users turned to virtual backstage networks (VPNs) and alternate messaging apps successful unusually ample numbers.

App quality steadfast Appfigures told TechCrunch that Tuesday, the time India announced the Telegram restriction, marked the biggest time for VPN app downloads successful the state since astatine slightest the commencement of 2025. Downloads of large VPN apps roseate 49% from a caller regular mean of 139,000 to 208,000, the steadfast said.

Proton VPN and Turbo VPN recorded immoderate of the largest increases. Downloads of Proton VPN connected Apple’s App Store successful India jumped 113%, portion Turbo VPN downloads roseate 85%. On Google Play, downloads of Proton VPN climbed 64% and Turbo VPN downloads accrued 35%. NordVPN’s App Store downloads accrued 41%, portion ExpressVPN downloads connected Google Play roseate 31%.

The surge besides pushed respective VPN services up India’s app-store charts. Proton VPN climbed from 18th to 5th successful Apple’s Utilities rankings betwixt June 16 and June 18, portion its Google Play ranking roseate from 8th to 2nd successful the Tools category, according to Appfigures.

The spike successful VPN request followed India’s determination to temporarily restrict Telegram until June 22 implicit concerns that fraudsters were utilizing the level to people candidates up of a re-test for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate), the country’s largest entranceway introspection by applicant volume. The Indian authorities said the measurement was needed to forestall the dispersed of fake exam papers and related scams. Telegram has challenged the bid successful the Delhi High Court, arguing that authorities should people circumstantial contented alternatively than artifact the full platform.

The effect extended beyond app-store download data. Proton said regular registrations from India rose 120% supra baseline levels connected Wednesday, aft hourly registrations had already spiked 150% connected Tuesday evening pursuing the Telegram restriction. The institution described the summation arsenic “extremely noteworthy” fixed its existing standard successful the country.

Canadian VPN work supplier Windscribe reported a akin trend. The institution told TechCrunch that signups from India peaked astir 100% supra baseline levels, portion first-time downloads of its iOS app successful the state roseate astir 89%.

“The spike successful India follows the aforesaid wide inclination we spot successful areas that prohibition circumstantial apps, present property bans oregon verification requirements, oregon different restrict net access,” Rebecca Rosenberg, maturation operations manager astatine Windscribe, said.

Image Credits:Windscribe

The inclination was not constricted to a fistful of VPN providers. Sensor Tower told TechCrunch that downloads crossed the VPN app class successful India roseate 10% day-over-day connected June 17, reversing a diminution seen implicit the erstwhile 2 weeks.

Users besides appeared to beryllium exploring alternatives to Telegram. Appfigures said downloads of Signal successful India roseate 72% connected Apple’s App Store and 322% connected Google Play pursuing the restriction, portion Viber’s App Store downloads accrued 216%.

Telegram-linked messaging app iMe recorded 1 of the sharpest jumps. Its Google Play downloads roseate from a caller regular mean of astir 827 to 50,900 connected June 16, Appfigures said.

Yet the regularisation did not instantly construe into little Telegram usage. Sensor Tower said Telegram’s regular progressive users successful India roseate 17% connected the time the measurement was announced — the app’s largest day-over-day summation successful the state since a wide outage of Meta’s services successful 2021.

Other information points besides suggest heightened efforts to entree Telegram pursuing the restriction.

Cloudflare Radar Lead Lai Yi Ohlsen told TechCrunch that DNS requests for Telegram domains successful India accrued sharply implicit the 2 days aft the measurement was announced. The institution cautioned that higher DNS postulation does not needfully bespeak palmy entree to the platform, and could bespeak users repeatedly attempting to scope Telegram aft it was blocked.

Image Credits:Cloudflare

Telegram pointed to its efforts to cooperate with authorities during hearings successful the Delhi High Court this week. Its lawyers said the institution had removed channels identified by authorities and questioned the request for a platform-wide regularisation affecting what Telegram says are implicit 150 cardinal users successful India.

Government lawyers defended the measurement arsenic a temporary, event-linked effect tied to the NEET re-test. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the tribunal that a imperishable prohibition could rise proportionality concerns but argued the existent regularisation had a “logical nexus” to the nonsubjective being pursued.

After proceeding arguments from Telegram and the authorities connected Thursday, the Delhi High Court reserved its bid and is expected to present its verdict connected Friday.

The statement echoes questions raised elsewhere erstwhile governments restrict entree to large online platforms. Sensor Tower said VPN downloads successful the U.S. roseate much than 40% week-over-week erstwhile TikTok was concisely removed from U.S. app stores successful 2025, portion Windscribe said it has observed akin patterns pursuing restrictions successful countries including Iran and Russia.