Telegram CEO Pavel Durov Accuses Reliance of Internet Routing Interference, Sparks Global Debate on BGP Hijacking Claims

A major controversy has erupted in the global tech space after Telegram founder and CEO Pavel Durov accused Reliance of interfering with the messaging platform’s internet connectivity. The claim has drawn attention not only in India but also across international markets where Telegram users reportedly faced disruptions.

Durov made the allegations publicly on the social media platform X, stating that Reliance was allegedly using a method known as BGP Hijacking to influence Telegram’s network routing. According to him, the impact was not restricted to India alone but extended to users in regions such as the United Arab Emirates and several other countries.

At the core of the issue is the Border Gateway Protocol, or BGP, which acts as a foundational system for internet routing worldwide. It determines how data travels between networks across the internet. Security experts note that if routing information is manipulated or falsely advertised, internet traffic can be redirected or disrupted, affecting service availability.

Cloudflare has previously explained that such incidents, often referred to as BGP Hijacking, can cause internet traffic to deviate from its intended path. In some cases, this may lead to slowdowns, outages, or partial inaccessibility of online services, depending on how the routing conflict occurs.

In his posts, Durov suggested that the alleged interference might not be accidental and hinted at possible competitive motivations within the messaging industry. He further pointed out Reliance’s reported business ties with Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, suggesting that broader industry competition could be influencing such incidents.

The Telegram CEO also claimed that despite multiple reports and concerns raised earlier, no official response or clarification had been provided by Reliance regarding the matter. He described the situation as concerning for global users relying on stable messaging services.

However, it is important to note that these allegations remain unverified at this stage. There has been no independent confirmation of the claims made by Durov, and no official investigation findings have been released publicly so far.

As of now, Reliance has not issued any formal response to the accusations. The company has remained silent on the matter, leaving questions unanswered.

With growing attention on internet infrastructure security and cross border digital services, the situation is likely to attract further scrutiny from cybersecurity researchers and network authorities in the coming days.