India Orders GitHub to Remove Bitchat App Over Security Concerns

The Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C), which operates underneath the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), has instructed GitHub to remove those repositories in connection with Bitchat, a decentralized messaging system that makes use of Bluetooth technology. This act comes from an order that was made on July 23, 2026, and made public by Jack Dorsey, who founded Bitchat and was the CEO of Twitter until recently. This decision stems from both national security and possible criminal activity concerns, especially when it comes to law enforcement’s task of controlling those kinds of systems.

What Is Bitchat App?

Bitchat is a messaging app that is free to use and open-source. Using Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) mesh networks, it enables communication through peer-to-peer messaging, thus eliminating the need for internet or mobile networks.

It is noteworthy that the app operates on BLE mesh network instead of conventional servers allowing devices nearby to transmit encoded messages.

The main features offered by Bitchat are,

• Peer-to-peer transfer
• BLE mesh network
• Not dependent on any internet or cellular network
• Encrypted messaging from user to user
• There are no requirements for registration
• No mobile number or email verification
• No centralized server involved
• Ability to communicate over a distance that varies from 30 m to 100 m depending on network conditions.

The app’s decentralized architecture is aimed at providing uninterrupted communication when there is no internet service or when the network is restricted.

What Led to India’s Request for the Removal of Bitchat from GitHub?

According to the government, the anonymous and decentralized nature of Bitchat makes it hard to monitor or track any illegal activity carried out using this tool.
In the opinion of the authorities, the app can be exploited in the following ways,

1. By terrorist organizations
2. By anti-national forces
3. By organized crime groups
4. By cybercriminals
5. By individuals whose aim is to spread fake news in times of emergencies

Officials also stated that Bitchat can still function in case of the suspension of the internet, thus making the task of monitoring and attribution harder.

Legal Provisions Utilized

The command given to GitHub by was built on the provisions of existing digital governance framework in India.

The directive utilized,

• Section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act, 2000
• Rule 3(1)(d) of the Information Technology Rules, 2021

These provisions mandate the online intermediaries to remove or disable the content whenever they receive instruction by the government according to relevant law.

As per the reports, GitHub was asked to disable access to three repositories of Bitchats, inclusive of Android application.

What is the Mechanism Behind Bluetooth Mesh Messaging?

In contrast to conventional messaging platforms such as WhatsApp and Telegram, Bitchat operates without requiring internet servers.

Specifically,

• Devices communicate through Bluetooth.
• Messages are passed using nearby devices.
• Technology of mesh network makes communication beyond direct Bluetooth reach.
• There is no central server storing messages exchanged.
• Communication can continue without any access to Wi-Fi or mobile data.

It is true that this design is resistant to interruptions in communication, but at the same time, it raises issues regarding regulations.