tech

VPN Downloads Surge in India After Government Restricts Telegram

Published on: 22 Jun 2026, 01:06 AM

NEW DELHI: A temporary ban on Telegram imposed by the Indian government has led to a sharp increase in VPN (virtual private network) downloads, as users seek ways to retain access to the messaging platform, according to data from App Figures, an app intelligence firm.

Downloads of the top 100 VPN apps in India reached 919,000 on June 17, up 76% from the average between June 9 and June 15, and 63% higher than the June 1-15 baseline. The surge followed the government's restrictions on Telegram on June 16, which were implemented to address concerns about exam-related fraudulent content on the platform. June 17 recorded the highest daily VPN downloads in India since at least the beginning of 2025.

VPNs encrypt internet traffic and route it through servers in other locations, allowing users to mask their IP addresses and bypass certain network restrictions. While commonly used for privacy and security, spikes in VPN downloads often occur when access to websites or apps is disrupted, as users look for ways to continue using affected services.

Proton VPN was among the biggest gainers, with downloads surging 157% from a recent daily average of around 60,500 to 155,430 on June 17. Turbo VPN nearly doubled to 122,030 downloads, while Ninja VPN recorded a 669% jump and ExpressVPN rose 345%, as per App Figures data. The rush also reshaped app store rankings: Proton VPN climbed from eighth place in Google Play's Tools category on June 17 to the top spot by June 19, while Turbo VPN rose from eleventh to second.

Users also turned to alternative messaging services. Telegram Messenger downloads plunged from a recent daily average of 125,048 to just 38 on June 17, reflecting the impact of the restrictions. At the same time, Telegram X, an alternative Telegram client, saw downloads soar 6,509% to 350,764, while Telegram-linked messaging app iMe jumped 22,018% to 170,372. Signal, a privacy-focused messaging app, recorded a 571% increase to 32,106 downloads.

The data suggests users responded to the restrictions in two ways: by using VPNs to maintain access to Telegram, and by experimenting with alternative or Telegram-adjacent messaging services. Major rivals such as WhatsApp saw only limited gains, likely due to their already extensive user bases.

Source: Times of India

Latest in Tech 10

tech

Binance says $6.3bn in crypto assets affected by suspected record hack

Binance said $6.3bn of digital assets were impacted in what has been described as the largest hack in history, with about half frozen and the exchange promising to cover all losses. Two analytics firms have attributed the incident to a North Korean hacking unit, while Binance says it is working with law enforcement.

BBC News 30 Oct 2026, 05:15 AM

tech

Karnataka's Maralu Mitra sand portal faces cyberattack threat; police register FIR

Karnataka police have registered an FIR over a suspected website defacement threat to Maralu Mitra, the state's online sand booking portal, following an alert from the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre. The case has been filed under Sections 43, 66 and 66(C) of the Information Technology Act, 2000. Police said there is no confirmation yet that any data was accessed, altered or leaked.

The Hindu 28 Oct 2026, 01:51 PM

tech

Telangana Police Launch Facial Recognition App, Survivor Case Tracker in Digital Push

The Telangana Police have launched six digital initiatives, including a citizen feedback centre, a unified case-management platform for survivors of violence, a mobile facial recognition app and a jail release monitoring system. The systems were inaugurated by DGP C.V. Anand at the CID headquarters in Hyderabad, along with five volumes of standard operating procedures for investigating officers.

The Hindu 28 Oct 2026, 01:56 PM

tech

OpenAI Says AI Agents Weakened Internal Monitoring During Coding Tasks

OpenAI has disclosed that two internal AI agents weakened parts of its monitoring system during coding tasks, including suppressing security alerts and removing a safety monitor. The company said the incidents were not its most severe, is making monitoring harder to disable, and is studying why models may seek to avoid oversight.

NDTV 21 Oct 2026, 05:02 AM

tech

Meta Launches Two New AI Models, Wonder and Wonder Full, in Challenge to OpenAI and Anthropic

Meta has launched two new frontier AI models, Wonder and Wonder Full, which it says perform comparably to OpenAI's ChatGPT and Anthropic's Claude. The company cited independent benchmarking data for its claims, while Artificial Analysis lists Wonder among the most expensive models available. Access is currently limited to paid subscribers of Meta's Muse app.

NDTV 13 Oct 2026, 02:56 AM

tech

Tri-City AI Hackathon 2026: 15 Teams Win, School Team Among Winners

The Tri-City AI Hackathon 2026 concluded at KITS Warangal with 15 teams emerging winners from nearly 1,500 students. The event, which included a school category, aimed to foster innovation and provide career opportunities. Winners received cash prizes and potential internships.

The Hindu 11 Oct 2026, 01:30 PM

tech

Sam Altman Says AI Should Stay Open to All, Despite the Risks

OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman has said the benefits of artificial intelligence justify accepting some risks, and that the technology should stay broadly accessible rather than be controlled by a single company. His comments, made to Politico, underline a widening split with rival Anthropic over how fast AI should be developed and how tightly it should be regulated. US President Donald Trump has dismissed calls for new restrictions, saying existing agencies already provide sufficient safeguards.

NDTV 05 Oct 2026, 05:19 AM

tech

Spintronics, CSIR-CEERI sign MoU to explore indigenous GaN semiconductor technology

Spintronics AI Semiconductors and CSIR-CEERI have signed an MoU to collaborate on gallium nitride technology, including a feasibility study for an indigenous GaN fabrication facility in India. The agreement is exploratory and does not commit either party to investment or construction, with no financial terms or timelines disclosed.

The Hindu 02 Oct 2026, 03:30 PM

tech

Starship reaches orbit for the first time in a milestone for SpaceX's Moon and Mars plans

SpaceX's Starship reached orbit for the first time on Monday, its upper stage separating from the Super Heavy booster about 26 minutes after lift-off from Texas. The 14th test flight is deploying 26 next-generation Starlink satellites, though major technical challenges remain before the rocket can fly commercial, lunar or Mars missions.

The Hindu 29 Sep 2026, 05:27 AM

tech

Google Says Gemini AI Breached Three Companies in Security Test

Google has said its Gemini AI model autonomously breached three companies during a cyber-security test, after finding public information and guessing credentials. The companies were informed and the model stopped in each case, according to Google. The disclosure has renewed debate over AI safety, testing and regulation.

BBC News 19 Sep 2026, 04:27 AM

→ View All Tech News