How to watch Tata Play abroad (outside India): Bypass geo-restrictions

Whether you’re an Indian expat living abroad or a holidaymaker trying to stream the latest sports coverage, Tata Play (formerly Tata Sky) has it all. Unfortunately, though it’s partly owned by Sky (a major force in British television), this service is region-locked and only works in India. Luckily, bypassing this restriction is easy by connecting to a VPN with Indian servers.

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) encrypt your web traffic and route it through an intermediary server in a location of your choice. When you select a server in India, your real IP address is replaced with an Indian IP address, and host websites and apps assume you’re in India, allowing you access to your home services. In addition, their use of encryption makes it impossible for hackers and snoopers to see your online activity or private data.

Important: due to the country’s internet snooping laws, it’s vital that your VPN doesn’t have physical servers in India. Instead, you want a provider with virtual servers (those in another country, subject to another country’s laws, that can still get you an Indian IP address). Here are our top VPNs for Tata Sky, all of which use virtual Indian servers:

Best VPNs to watch Tata Play outside India:

1. NordVPN: The best VPN for watching Tata Play outside of India. Puts your privacy first but doesn’t compromise on speed or streaming ability. All plans include a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.
   TIP In our testing we found that the cheapest NordVPN plan (Standard) works perfectly for Tata.
2. Surfshark: Our top budget VPN for Tata Play. Boasts affordable plans, unlimited connections, and extremely high speeds. Great for live streaming, torrenting, and more.
3. IPVanish:  A quick, zero-logs provider that easily unblocks Tata Sky (and most other streaming services). Lets users connect as many devices as they like.
4. ExpressVPN: This beginner-friendly VPN works anywhere in the world, unblocks several Indian streaming platforms, and makes it easy as possible to stay safe online.
5. CyberGhost: A fantastic choice for anyone hoping to watch Tata Sky abroad. Its virtual Indian servers are fast and reliable, its security offering is robust, and its customer support is available 24 hours per day.
6. ProtonVPN: Fast and versatile VPN with an impeccable reputation on privacy. Has a large network and a generous 10-connection limit.
7. Private Internet Access: Works with Tata Play as well as Hotstar, thanks to its remote Indian servers. Fast, unthrottled connections. Secure all of your devices at once.
8. PureVPN: Another low-cost service offering easy to use apps, 24/7 support over live chat, and steady speeds. Its virtual Indian servers work well with Tata Play, Disney+ Hotstar, and more.
9. PrivateVPN: Manages its entire network (including its Indian servers) in-house for maximum privacy. Great for streaming but could be slightly faster.

How to watch Tata Play online with a VPN

Don’t worry if you’ve never used a VPN before, using one to access Tata Play from outside India is easier than you might think. Just follow the step-by-step guide below, and you’ll be streaming your favorite content in no time.

Here’s how to watch Tata Play from outside India:

1. Register with one of the VPNs we’ve recommended on this list. (Our top choice is NordVPN.)
2. Download and install the VPN app, making sure to choose the right version for your device.
3. Open the VPN and connect to a server in India. This will give you the Indian IP address necessary to access Tata Play from abroad.
4. Once connected, navigate to Tata Play’s page and log in with your account credentials. Congratulations, all of Tata Play’s content should now be available!
5. If you are struggling, try clearing your cookies and cache before reloading the page to remove any saved location data.

Note: It’s difficult to register for a Tata Play account outside India, as you need a local cell phone number, home address, and an India-specific payment method such as a local credit card or Paytm. For this reason, we recommend registering for an account before you leave home.

How we found the top Tata Play VPNs

There are so many VPNs on the market, but they don’t all offer the same level of service. They aren’t all as safe or secure and won’t all have the ability to access Tata Play. We’ve taken the guesswork out of it for you by only recommending VPNs that meet the following criteria:

• Speed: We tested each VPN’s speed in the morning, afternoon, and evening to determine speed and consistency throughout busy streaming periods. We calculated the average speed over 24 hours and compared it to the other VPNs on the list.
• Suitability: Not all VPNs are suitable for streaming, so we test each against a list of suitability criteria, including app compatibility, simultaneous connections, and more.
• Security and privacy: We assess each VPN against ten criteria, including encryption levels, logging policies, IP leak test results, and more.
• Ease of use: Our ease of use testing covers the signup and cancellation process, usability of apps, router support, and more.
• Value for money: We don’t just look at subscription cost. We assess money-back guarantees, device limits, and discounts to consider value for money.

This is just an overview, but you can read more about how we test and rank the VPNs we recommend in our methodology section below the VPN reviews.

The best VPNs for Tata Play: at a glance

We’ve compared the most important features of the top VPNs here. Prefer to read the in-depth reviews? Start with NordVPN – our #1 choice for Tata Play.

Best VPNs for Tata Play

At Comparitech, we want to offer you the most helpful and accurate VPN recommendations possible. To do that, our team personally uses and tests each VPN, and the following reviews are based on those first-hand experiences. 

Here’s our list of the best VPNs to watch Tata Play (formerly Tata Sky) from anywhere:

1. NordVPN

Jun 2025 unblocks tata playTested Jun 2025

NordVPN is the best service for unblocking Tata Sky while traveling and is one of the best India VPNs. It has more than 7,000 servers spread across 100+ countries, and we’ve had great results using the virtual Indian servers (which are actually located in Singapore) to access popular Indian streaming services like Disney+ Hotstar, Zee TV, and ALTT. If you run into any issues, live chat is available 24 hours per day.

When it comes to speed, NordVPN has long been one of the industry’s top performers. Still, regular retesting is important given that VPNs are constantly tweaking and optimizing their networks. Our team ran three speed tests on its Indian servers to see how fast NordVPN was at different times of day. Let’s take a look:

With an average speed of 191.02 Mbps, this service was far and away the quickest on our list. There was around 8 Mbps of difference between its highest and lowest results, which isn’t anything unusual. This means that users will be able to stream Tata Play in the highest possible quality at any time without worrying about stuttering, buffering, or lag.

If security is a priority, NordVPN is an excellent option. It uses unbreakable 256-bit AES encryption and safeguards your connection using a customizable kill switch, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, and a proven no-logging policy. It also has a censorship-beating custom protocol, automatic ad and tracker blocking, and a unique feature called MeshNet that lets you securely transfer files between your devices.

NordVPN has apps for Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, and Android. Its website provides manual setup instructions for over a dozen types of router firmware too.

BEST VPN FOR TATA PLAY:NordVPN is our top pick for unblocking Tata Play outside of India. It delivers top-tier performance, a ton of customizable security features, and is one of the best around for streaming. Every plan includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full NordVPN review.

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2. Surfshark

unblocks tata playTested Jun 2025

Surfshark is the best low-cost VPN for Tata Play. It operates over 3,200 servers in 100 countries, with virtual Indian servers providing access to Tata Sky, Hotstar, Netflix India, and other Indian TV channels from the US and elsewhere. As if that wasn’t enough, this service lets you connect all of your devices simultaneously and works flawlessly in high-censorship countries. 24/7 live chat is available just in case you need it.

So far, so good. However, this doesn’t mean much if Surfshark can’t provide the speeds required for streaming. Our expert testers checked this VPN’s performance three times (once in the morning, at noon, and in the afternoon), keeping a close eye on its consistency. You’ll find our results in the chart below:

Surfshark achieved an average speed of 175.44 Mbps with just 9 Mbps of variance over the course of our testing. That’s a phenomenal result, and it means you’ll be able to stream, torrent, and make video calls without any issues (at the same time, even!). Note that we used a 250 Mbps connection, so if your base speeds are slower, your results when connected will be as well.

This VPN is registered in the British Virgin Islands, so it’s shielded from mandatory data logs. It also states quite clearly that it doesn’t indulge in traffic retention of any kind, including IP addresses, browsing history, or timestamps. Additional security features are top-notch; Surfshark uses 256-bit AES encryption, perfect forward secrecy, an internet kill switch, and DNS leak protection. Its proprietary technology blocks ads and malware and includes a split tunneling option.

Apps are available for Windows, macOS, Android, Linux, and iOS. If you’d prefer to install this VPN on your router, you’ll have to follow manual setup instructions.

BEST BUDGET VPN FOR TATA PLAY:Surfshark is budget pick. It reliably unblocks Tata Play as well as most international streaming services. Strong privacy and security protocols. Servers in 100+ countries, including India. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full Surfshark review here, or check out our video review below.

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3. IPVanish

unblocks tata playTested Jun 2025

IPVanish is an exceptional provider that’s really gone above and beyond to improve its service recently. Its network now covers around 100 countries (with virtual servers in India) and it works more reliably than ever for streaming. Whether you’re hoping to watch Indian Netflix or Tata Play abroad, this is a solid option. It also works great for streaming Indian sports services like Star Sports, which is really important if you want to watch IPL. What’s more, it allows you to secure every device you own at the same time.

Slow speeds cause all kinds of problems when watching TV, so when researching the best VPNs for Tata Play, we paid close attention to performance. Our team ran multiple speed tests on IPVanish’s India servers, measuring their speed and reliability over the course of a typical day. Here are our results:

IPVanish had a variability of 7 Mbps, which is slightly better than most of its competitors. Its average speed was 170.66 Mbps, putting it firmly amongst the fastest VPNs on the market. As such, it’s suitable for just about anything, from live streaming to gaming to torrenting. You could even rely on it when multiple people in your home are using the internet at the same time.

We really appreciate this provider’s commitment to privacy. For starters, it has an independently-audited no-logs policy and unbreakable encryption. There’s also a kill switch, tracker-blocker, leak protection, and a tool that makes sure links are safe to click on. IPVanish even lets users scramble their OpenVPN traffic to help hide any indicators that could show you’re using a VPN in the first place.

IPVanish has its own Android, iOS, Windows, and MacOS apps. It also supports Linux systems and routers, though these require manual setup. The newly-introduced Advanced plan gives access to the VPN, cloud storage, and a privacy-focused browser within a browser.

FAST AND SECURE:IPVanish has everything you could want: excellent streaming ability, fast Indian servers, a zero-logs policy, and a total lack of connection limits. Annual plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full review of IPVanish.

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4. ExpressVPN

unblocks tata playTested Jun 2025

ExpressVPN is a reputable provider with more than a decade of industry experience. It effortlessly unblocks Tata Play and also works to watch Voot, Netflix, and Disney+ Hotstar. With servers in 105 countries, you’ll never be short of something to watch. Subscribers can connect up to eight devices at a time and talk directly with staff using the 24/7 live chat service.

Our key concern was whether ExpressVPN could deliver the speeds needed for a seamless streaming experience. To find out, we performed three speed tests on our 250 Mbps connection (designed to simulate a typical US broadband connection). The chart below shows how quick this VPN was at various times of day:

The first thing you’ll notice that ExpressVPN’s speeds only varied by about 4 Mbps. That’s a level of consistency that its rivals wish they could match. Its average speed (140.76 Mbps) was respectable as well. It’s well above what’s required for watching 4K video and will allow you to download about 1 GB of data per minute, meaning it’s great for torrenting too.

ExpressVPN takes a hands-off approach to security, automatically keeping you safe with unbreakable encryption, leak protection, and its kill switch. Recent updates introduced an Advanced Protection tab to the settings which lets you activate ad and tracker-blocking, as well as filter adult content. This provider doesn’t keep any logs of your activities and has one of the most extensive audit histories we’ve seen, with its apps, privacy policy, and infrastructure all having been independently-inspected.

This VPN provider supports all the major platforms, with apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux. There’s firmware for some Wi-Fi routers, too.

GREAT UNBLOCKER:ExpressVPN can access Tata Play from anywhere, even high-censorship countries like China. Fast speeds, reliable uptime, and ironclad security are included. Try it with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full ExpressVPN Review.

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5. CyberGhost

unblocks tata playTested Jun 2025

CyberGhost goes out of its way to be newcomer-friendly. Users have more than 100 countries to choose from and can filter the server list to show those best suited to streaming, torrenting, or gaming. While there aren’t any specifically optimized for Tata Play, we’ve found the general-purpose Indian servers to work just fine. CyberGhost also works to watch JioCinema and other platforms like Zee5. There is a seven-connection limit and 24/7 support via live chat should you need it.

This provider generally ranks very well in our industry-wide speed testing. That said, we wanted to see how its performance has changed since the last time we checked. That’s why we tested its Indian servers multiple times on a 250 Mbps connection. So how did CyberGhost do? See for yourself:

With a variance of around 5 Mbps and an average speed of 137.76 Mbps, CyberGhost was one of the quicker providers we tested. It was able to stream 4K video and live broadcasts without any interruptions and fared equally well with other tasks. Downloading large files took no time, for instance, and playing online games was smooth and seamless.

Let’s talk about security. This VPN boasts uncrackable encryption, a kill switch, and protection against DNS and IPv6 leaks. Not only that, it has an independently-verified no-logs policy, so there’s no need to worry about your online activities being traced back to you. It also offers automatic ad-blocking, a smart rules tool that governs when the VPN connects on its own, and a random port connection feature that can help you bypass some forms of VPN detection.

Apps are available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. If you have more than seven devices to protect, you can follow manual setup instructions to get CyberGhost running on your router instead.

FAST AND INTUITIVE:CyberGhost delivers impressive speeds, great streaming ability, and reliable servers capable of getting you an Indian IP address. Try it with a 45-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full CyberGhost VPN review.

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6. ProtonVPN

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ProtonVPN is an industry veteran with a stellar reputation. It was created by the team behind Proton Mail, a privacy-centric email client favored by activists and journalists. There are thousands of servers spread across 110+ countries, with virtual servers pointing to Mumbai. As if that wasn’t enough, this VPN offers a generous 10-device cap and access to 24/7 customer support.

Every VPN will have some impact on your connection speeds but providers are constantly working to minimize their impact. Our team tested ProtonVPN’s Indian servers at three times of day, keeping a close eye on its footprint and reliability. You’ll find our results in the following chart:

This VPN’s speeds varied by around 5 Mbps, which is functionally unnoticeable. On average, it delivered speeds of 125.94 Mbps. That’s fast enough for anything you throw at it, from live streaming Indian TV to making video calls. In fact, users should be able to browse at peak times without any significant degradation in performance.

This VPN is based in Switzerland and has a fully verified no-logs policy. Its security credentials are furthered bolstered by its AES encryption, kill switch, obfuscation, multi-hop connections, and Tor over VPN. The VPN’s support for split tunneling and port forwarding is an added advantage for Indian users interested in torrenting. These capabilities make ProtonVPN an excellent choice for Indian users wanting to prevent ISP snooping and government surveillance.

ProtonVPN apps are available for Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. This service can also be manually installed on most routers.

FULLY FEATURED:ProtonVPN caters to tech-savvy users. It is ideal for torrenting and gaining watertight online privacy. Servers are available in over 110+ countries, including India. It’s ideal for bypassing restrictions to watch Indian TV abroad. 24/7 live chat support is available on its website. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Find out more in our ProtonVPN review.

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7. Private Internet Access

unblocks tata playTested Jun 2025

Private Internet Access has a large network that spans 90+ countries and includes reliable virtual servers capable of getting you an Indian IP address abroad. This VPN can effortlessly access major platforms like Tata Play, Netflix, and Disney+, regardless of your actual location. Better still, it recently scrapped its connection limit and can now secure every device you own.

In terms of performance, PIA usually does quite well. However, in order to provide you with the most accurate and up-to-date information, regular retesting is crucial. We tested its virtual servers in India at multiple different times to see what kind of speeds this provider was capable of. Take a look:

With an average speed of 124.62 Mbps and around 8 Mbps of variance across three tests, PIA was certaintly competitive. It might not be the fastest service on the market but it’s up there; we had no issues performing data-intensive tasks like gaming, torrenting, or streaming while connected, even during busy times such as the evening or weekends.

Security features included with a PIA subscription include 256-bit AES encryption, DNS leak protection, and a kill switch. It should also be noted that PIA has a no-logs policy and doesn’t even keep connection logs of its users. Optional (paid) extras include a Windows antivirus and a dedicated IP address. 24-hour support is also available should you need it. This can be reached via live chat as well as email.

Private Internet Access has apps for Windows, Mac, Android, iOS, Linux, and Amazon Fire TV. Browser extensions are offered for Chrome, Firefox, and Opera, although use with Wi-Fi routers requires manual setup.

STRONG ALL-ROUNDER:Private Internet Access provides virtual Indian servers for accessing Tata Play from anywhere. Also works with Hotstar and Netflix. Unlimited simultaneous connections and fast server speeds. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full Private Internet Access review.

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8. PureVPN

unblocks tata playTested Jun 2025

PureVPN operates more than 6,000 servers in 65 countries around the world, including some that point to India despite not actually being there. We’re big fans of this service’s versatility; it provides secure access to some of the most stubborn geo-restricted platforms so you’re in good hands whether you want to watch Tata Play, Netflix, or anything else. With a 10-connection limit and 24/7 support over live chat, PureVPN is well worth considering.

This provider uses 20 Gbps servers that theoretically allow it to provide faster speeds than many of its rivals. To find out if that’s actually the case, our team performed a series of speed tests on PureVPN’s Indian server. Below, you’ll find a breakdown of its performance throughout a typical day:

Surprisingly, this service was actually on the slower end of the spectrum, averaging 61.66 Mbps. Its consistency could be a little better too, varying 11 Mbps across three tests. To be clear, that’s still fast enough for any day to day task and streaming won’t be a problem. Still, if speed is your top priority, you may want to try one of the VPNs mentioned above instead.

The good news is that this VPN is highly secure, with unbreakable encryption, a kill switch, and leak protection built-in. It also offers a new tracker-blocking tool and support for port forwarding (though this feature costs a little extra). PureVPN follows a strict no-logs policy and has been audited to prove it. You can even choose to pay in cryptocurrency for another layer of anonymity.

PureVPN is compatible with Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and Linux. You can install it on most routers by following the manual setup instructions on its website.

EXCELLENT VALUE:PureVPN is an affordable VPN with IPs in India. Quick, secure, and versatile. A great choice for anyone hoping to watch Indian TV abroad. It has a 31-day money-back guarantee.

Find out more in our PureVPN review.

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9. PrivateVPN

unblocks tata playTested Jun 2025

PrivateVPN owns, manages, and acts as a server host for all 200 of its servers. All in all, its network covers 60+ countries but be warned: the Mumbai server is located in India and should not be used for anything sensitive. Instead, we’d encourage you to use the virtual Bangalore server since that’s not beholden to Indian law. The good news is that this VPN works flawlessly with Tata Play, Netflix, and many similar platforms.

In previous rounds of testing, PrivateVPN has struggled to reach the same heights as its competitors. That’s somewhat expected, given its smaller network. All the same, we wanted to see what this service was capable of, so we tested its Indian servers several times on a 250 Mbps connection. Here’s what we found:

While its average speed was a little lower (56.83 Mbps), PrivateVPN managed to be one of the most consistent providers we’ve seen. There was just 3 Mbps of difference between its highest and lowest results, which means that you’re virtually guaranteed a connection that’s quick enough for streaming TV, playing games, or torrenting.

So how does this provider fare on security? Well, it uses unbreakable 256-bit AES encryption, a customizable kill switch, and protection against DNS and IPv6 leaks. There’s also a toggleable stealth mode specifically designed to protect you from repressive internet censorship. PrivateVPN follows a no-logs policy bu unfortunately hasn’t been audited at the time of writing.

Apps are available for all the major streaming platforms — Android, Windows, iOS, and macOS. Manual setup is needed for Linux systems and routers.

PRIMED FOR STREAMING:PrivateVPN is very fast and consisstently excells at unblocking streaming platforms and geo-blocked sites. Allows 10 simultaneous connections. Try it with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Read our full Private VPN review.

Methodology: How we found the best VPNs for Tata Play

There are multiple factors to consider when choosing a VPN, particularly if you’re looking to stream Tata Play while traveling abroad. This includes having servers capable of getting you an Indian IP address as well as fast, unthrottled speeds. Here we explain our methodology, which helped us find the best VPNs for watching Tata Play:

Speed

This is one of the biggest things to look out for, since a poorly-optimized VPN will make streaming a miserable experience. For instance, you can expect forced low-resolution playback, streams that fail to load, or video that stops and starts constantly. Now, speeds vary based on time of day, how many other users are on your chosen server, and how far away you are, so how do we find out which VPNs are fastest?

Simple: we test each provider’s Indian servers multiple times in the morning, at noon, and in the afternoon. These are performed on a 250 Mbps connection (the US household average broadband speed). Then, our team averages and normalizes the results to get a final score out of 10 for each VPN. Let’s see how well our top Tata Play VPNs compared:

NordVPN was the fastest service we saw, a full 16 Mbps quicker on average than the second place provider (Surfshark). Still, even our lowest-scoring services were significantly faster than you’d need to watch 4K video or live broadcasts — it’s just that NordVPN had the least impact on our base connection speeds.

Suitability

Our next challenge was getting a feel for the overall suitability of each VPN for the task at hand. Part of this involved seeing how reliably they worked with other popular streaming services, though we also considered how large their networks were, how many simultaneous connections they allow, and whether live chat-based support was available. The chart below shows how our top VPNs ranked:

Surfshark came out on top in this category, working flawlessly with every streaming service we tried and allowing an unlimited number of connections. Its network is on the larger side too, which certainly helped. NordVPN was a close second, losing out only due to its 10-connection limit.

Security and privacy

Let’s not forget that the primary goal of a VPN is to keep your browsing habits private. That’s not possible if the service uses outdated encryption or lacks adequate safeguards. For that reason, we require services to offer DNS and IPv6 leak protection, a kill switch, and a no-logging policy to even be considered for a spot in our list. All in all, we consider 16 criteria in this category, shown in the table below:

Don’t worry if the technical terms above went a little over your head. To make it as easy as possible to compare providers, we assigned scores (deducting points for every area that could use improvement) and put them into the chart below:

NordVPN and Surfshark tied for first place here, each earning an impressive 9.5 points. So what stopped them from achieving a perfect score? NordVPN’s authentication, while strong, could be a little more robust, and Surfshark is based in a Nine Eyes country. Of course, given that they excelled in every other area we looked at, neither of these things poses a significant risk to your privacy.

Ease of use

Here at Comparitech, we believe everyone deserves digital privacy. That’s why we prioritize VPNs that are welcoming to newcomers. We don’t mean limiting access to advanced functionality or customizable features, though: they just have to be introduced in a way that’s novice-friendly. We also keep an eye out for task-specific servers, 24/7 customer support, and streamlined signup processes, as well as all of the other things in the following table:

Private Internet Access and NordVPN both scored 9.6 points of a possible 10 here. The former doesn’t impose a connection limit, making it one of the only major providers to do so. NordVPN, meanwhile, has one of the largest networks around and works flawlessly with just about every popular streaming platform.

Value for money

You shouldn’t have to break the bank to get a high-quality VPN. Our team carefully considers things like whether a service offers a student discount, how frequently it goes on sale, and of course, the absolute lowest monthly price. Take a look at our full scoring criteria in the table below:

Surfshark had the highest score overall here (9.7 points). Its long-term discounts are among the steepest we’ve seen, it can secure all of your devices simultaneously, and it’s capable of handling any everyday task. Not only that, but it has a reduced rate for students.

Looking for all of the above is just part of our scientific testing process. If you’d like to know more about it, check out our detailed VPN testing methodology article.

What is the current state of internet freedom in India?

According to the Freedom on the Net 2024 report from Freedom House, India’s internet is only “partly free”. One of the primary reasons for this is numerous internet shutdowns. Over the last five years, India is the country that has imposed the highest number of internet shutdowns. Authorities claim this is to maintain law and order, as well as prevent the spread of information.

The Indian government continues to block online content, restricting 6,775 URLs in 2022. Content seen as being anti-India and portraying the country in a negative light was often affected. Authorities have even been known to restrict access to social media platforms on occasion, Facebook and WhatsApp included.

While the Constitution of India grants citizens the right to freedom of speech and expression, journalists, activists, and even everyday internet users have been arrested for criticizing the government. As such, it’s fair to say that while India doesn’t have the most restrictive internet in the world, there’s room for improvement.

You can see more about India’s limits on our worldwide internet censorship map.

Watching Tata Play online with a VPN: FAQs