Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Telegram founder Pavel Durov alleged that the disruption affecting access to the messaging app was caused by what he described as a “rogue method” called Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) hijacking, in which internet traffic is redirected by falsely advertising routes to websites or online services. He also claimed that the issue was affecting users outside India, including in the United Arab Emirates, where India’s blocking orders do not apply.
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Durov further alleged that the incident formed part of a “competitive war” and claimed that Reliance was “partly owned” by Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp.
Reliance Jio has rejected allegations that the telecom operator was linked to a BGP hijacking incident that affected access to Telegram outside India. Dismissing Durov’s claims, Reliance Jio Infocomm said in a clarification issued on Wednesday that it was not involved in any such incident and rejected speculation surrounding an alleged BGP route misconfiguration.
In a post on X, Durov wrote, “Indian telecom Reliance is sabotaging access to Telegram for millions of users OUTSIDE India (including the UAE) via a rogue method called BGP hijacking. The sabotage seems intentional, as Reliance has ignored multiple reports.”
“This may be part of a competitive war, as Reliance is partially owned by Meta — the company behind WhatsApp. Such abuse of global Internet routing is alarming. I wouldn’t be surprised if Reliance/WhatsApp were also behind the recent lobbying effort to ban Telegram in India,” he added.
Responding to the allegations, the telecom giant said, “Recent posts on X have led to speculation regarding Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited (AS55836) and a BGP route misconfiguration. We categorically clarify that Jio has not been involved in any such incident. Jio continues to operate its network in accordance with global Internet routing best practices and the highest standards of reliability, security and transparency.”
BGP is the routing system used by the internet to direct traffic to websites and online services. In a BGP hijack, a network falsely presents itself as the preferred route, which can divert or disrupt internet traffic.
According to industry sources, the network identified by Durov is not owned by Reliance Jio and may instead be linked to Reliance Communications, based on publicly available internet routing databases. Reliance Jio, in its Wednesday statement, again denied any role in a BGP route misconfiguration and said it continued to run its network in line with global internet routing best practices.
The developments come after the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology on Tuesday ordered a temporary block on Telegram in India until June 22 on the recommendation of the National Testing Agency, which conducts the NEET examination. The order followed allegations that Telegram channels were being used to circulate claims of leaked question papers for the May 3 exam and the June 21 re-examination. The NTA said several channels had sought money from students and parents in exchange for supposed access to the papers. The government has also directed Telegram to disable its message-editing feature until June 30 over concerns that it could be used to spread misinformation.
The dispute centres on Durov’s allegation of BGP hijacking outside India and Jio’s denial of any involvement, against the backdrop of the government’s temporary block on Telegram and related restrictions in India.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
