Telegram Ban in India Triggers Surge in VPN Downloads

Internet users in India are rapidly adopting circumvention tools following a government-mandated restriction on Telegram. The temporary block, implemented to curb fraudulent activities surrounding the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), has inadvertently sparked the largest surge in VPN adoption in the country since the start of 2025.

Data from app intelligence firm Appfigures reveals that the day the restriction was announced, daily VPN downloads in India jumped to 208,000—a 49% increase over the previous average of 139,000. Major providers saw significant growth, with Proton VPN experiencing a 113% climb on Apple’s App Store and a 64% rise on Google Play. Similarly, Turbo VPN saw download figures swell by 85% on iOS and 35% on Android.

Shift in User Behavior

The restriction, which remains in place until June 22, was enacted by the Indian government to prevent the proliferation of fake exam papers. While Telegram challenged the order in the Delhi High Court—arguing that specific content removal would be a more precise approach than a total platform block—the court ultimately upheld the government’s decision on Friday.

Industry experts note that this rapid pivot to VPNs is becoming a standard reaction to internet censorship. “When access to a tool people rely on is suddenly removed, they look for alternatives fast,” said Laura Tyrylyte, a privacy advocate at NordVPN. Other providers reported similar metrics:

• Windscribe: Sign-ups from India peaked 100% above baseline, with iOS app downloads rising 89%.
• Surfshark: Observed a roughly 30% increase in connectivity from the region.
• Sensor Tower: Reported a 10% day-over-day rise in total VPN category downloads on June 17.

Messaging Alternatives and Usage Trends

Beyond VPNs, users are exploring other messaging platforms. Signal saw a 72% increase in Apple App Store downloads and a 322% jump on Google Play. The app iMe, which is linked to Telegram, experienced a massive spike, with daily downloads on Google Play surging from roughly 827 to 50,900.

Interestingly, the block has not immediately curtailed Telegram’s overall activity. Sensor Tower reported a 17% increase in daily active users for Telegram in India on the day the measure was announced. Additionally, Cloudflare Radar observed a sharp rise in DNS requests for Telegram domains, suggesting that many users are persistently attempting to bypass the block to access the service.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta defended the government’s stance in court, characterizing the restriction as a temporary, “logically linked” response to the NEET retest, rather than a permanent ban. With Telegram currently facing restrictions or disruptions in at least 40 countries, the situation in India highlights the ongoing tension between national security measures and digital accessibility.