Proton Mail, the popular encrypted email service, could soon stop working in India. The Karnataka High Court has ordered the Indian government to block the service after a New Delhi-based company filed a complaint.
The case began last year when M Moser Design Associates alleged that some of its female employees received abusive emails from anonymous Proton Mail accounts. These emails reportedly included obscene language, AI-generated deepfake images, and explicit content.
Proton Mail is known for strong privacy protections and end-to-end encryption. The service does not log IP addresses or user data, so it could not provide any details about who sent the emails. That became a key issue in the case.
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During a court hearing on April 29, 2025, streamed live on YouTube, Justice M. Nagaprasanna ordered the government to block Proton Mail under Section 69 of the Information Technology Act, 2008. The judge said the “offending URL should be blocked forthwith.”
This is not the first time Proton Mail has faced legal pressure in India. In February 2024, authorities discussed blocking the service after it was allegedly used to send hoax bomb threats to schools in Tamil Nadu.
At the time, the Indian IT Ministry even asked internet providers to block Proton Mail. But the Swiss government stepped in and held talks with Indian authorities, which helped prevent the block from being enforced.
Proton also responded to that case, saying, “Blocking access to Proton Mail simply prevents law-abiding citizens from communicating securely and does not prevent cybercriminals from sending threats with another email service.”
I checked and was able to access Proton Mail from Indian IP addresses. It seems the blocking order has not yet been enforced. However, since the court order is already in place, access to Proton Mail could be blocked at any time. So, if you use Proton Mail regularly, it is a good idea to set up a VPN. That way, you can still access your account even if the service is restricted in India. I recommend ExpressVPN, CyberChost, and NordVPN.
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