When Basit Banday*, a 27-year-old IT professional from Kashmir, logs in for work, safeguarding sensitive healthcare data is part of his daily responsibility. Until recently, he relied on a virtual private network (VPN) to do so — a standard requirement for many global technology firms. That changed on December 29, when the India government imposed a two-month ban on VPN use across Indian-administered Kashmir, citing national security concerns and alleged misuse of the technology to incite unrest.
Banday now fears losing his job or being forced to relocate more than 2,000 kilometres from his home in Pulwama district to Pune, where his company is based.
“VPN access is mandatory for most IT organisations,” he said. “Even internal email systems can’t function without it. This order didn’t consider professionals whose livelihoods depend on secure connectivity.”
Government Cites Security Risks
In nearly identical orders issued across Kashmir’s districts, authorities said VPNs could be exploited for “unlawful and anti-national activities”, including the spread of misinformation and inflammatory content.
Officials argued that encrypted data transmission and masked IP addresses could expose the region to cyber threats and undermine public order.
Following the ban, security forces launched checks across the region. Videos shared online showed police stopping pedestrians and motorists, demanding access to their mobile phones and scanning devices for VPN usage.
Police said action had been taken against more than 100 people since the order came into effect. Those initially detained were released only after background checks confirmed no links to what authorities describe as “terrorist” groups.
A Region Long Marked by Digital Restrictions
Internet shutdowns are not new in Indian-administered Kashmir. Of the hundreds of internet blackouts imposed nationwide since 2012, nearly half have occurred in the region, according to monitoring groups.
The disputed territory has been at the center of conflict since the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947, when Kashmir was divided between India and Pakistan, both of which claim it in full. An armed rebellion against Indian rule erupted in the late 1980s, prompting a heavy military presence that remains today.
In 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government revoked Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, stripping Kashmir of its special status and placing it under direct federal control.
Residents say the VPN ban adds to an already long list of restrictions on civil liberties.
Journalists and Businesses Raise Concerns
A Kashmiri journalist, speaking anonymously for fear of reprisal, said VPNs were essential for safely reporting from a conflict zone.
“Journalists rely on VPNs for protection, especially while working on investigative stories,” he said. “Now that safeguard is gone.”
Mir Umair, a 24-year-old businessman in Srinagar, said the ban has also restricted access to non-political religious content hosted outside India. “There was nothing political about it,” he said. “I could only access it through a VPN.”
Legal experts have also questioned the ban’s legality. Ahmad, a local lawyer, said India’s IT rules do not allow for a blanket prohibition on VPN use. “A single executive order should not impose such sweeping restrictions,” he said.
Authorities did not respond to requests for comment.
Rights Groups and Digital Experts Push Back
The ban has drawn criticism from digital rights advocates. Srinivas Kodali, a researcher on internet freedoms, said simply having a VPN installed is not a criminal offense under Indian law.
“People across professions use VPNs for legitimate reasons,” he said. “Forcing people to unlock phones is a serious violation of fundamental rights.”
Last year, media watchdog Reporters Without Borders described Kashmir as an “information black hole”, where access to reliable news is increasingly restricted.
David Peterson, head of the Switzerland-based ProtonVPN, also drew attention to Kashmir’s history of digital clampdowns, noting that such measures often coincide with sensitive political anniversaries.
‘Psychological Pressure’ on Daily Life
For many residents, the ban has had effects beyond practical inconvenience. Furqan*, a Kashmiri journalist working remotely for an international media organisation, said VPN access is essential for his job — and now feels criminalised.
“This ban hangs over our thoughts like a sword,” he said. “Even basic work tasks now feel risky.”
He added that the restrictions contribute to a growing sense of surveillance and anxiety. “It feels like we are on trial for our thoughts. Even something as basic as using a VPN adds to the psychological pressure Kashmiris live under every day.”
*Names have been changed to protect identities over fears of retaliation.