Telegram ban in India triggers surge in VPN downloads and Signal users

India's temporary block of Telegram has triggered a sharp increase in demand for VPN services and alternative messaging apps, according to data cited by TechCrunch.

Earlier this week, the Delhi High Court upheld the government's decision to restrict access to Telegram until June 22. The move followed a major leak of questions for the NEET-UG medical entrance exam, one of the country's most important standardized tests.

The announcement immediately sent users looking for ways around the restrictions.

According to analytics firm Appfigures, the day the block was announced became the biggest day for VPN downloads in India since the start of 2025. Downloads of major VPN apps jumped 49%, reaching roughly 208,000 installs in a single day.

Proton VPN and Turbo VPN saw the largest increases. In India's App Store, downloads of Proton VPN rose 113%, while Turbo VPN recorded an 85% increase.

VPN providers reported similar trends. Proton said registrations from India increased by 120%, while Windscribe reported signups running at roughly double their normal levels.

Many users also began looking for alternatives to Telegram. Signal downloads on Google Play surged 322%, while installs of iMe — a Telegram-based messaging client — jumped from 827 to 50,900.

Despite the restrictions, Telegram's own usage did not immediately decline. According to the report, the platform's daily active user base in India actually increased by 17% on the day the block was announced.

Cloudflare also recorded a sharp spike in DNS requests directed at Telegram domains. Analysts believe the increase reflects users repeatedly attempting to bypass network restrictions and regain access to the service.

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