VPN Downloads Surge In India As Government Restricts Telegram Over NEET UG 2026 Exam Fraud Concerns

Indian users are flocking to VPNs and alternative messaging apps after the government temporarily blocked Telegram, with download numbers hitting their highest levels in over a year.

According to data shared with TechCrunch by app intelligence firm Appfigures, the day India announced the Telegram restriction, was the biggest day for VPN app downloads in the country since at least the start of 2025, with downloads of major VPN apps rising 49 percent from a recent daily average of 139,000 to 208,000.

Individual VPN providers saw even sharper spikes. Proton VPN downloads on Apple's App Store in India jumped 113 percent, while Turbo VPN downloads rose 85 percent; on Google Play, Proton VPN climbed 64 percent and Turbo VPN rose 35 percent, with NordVPN's App Store downloads up 41 percent and ExpressVPN's Google Play downloads up 31 percent. The surge also reshuffled app-store rankings. Proton VPN climbed from 18th to 5th in Apple's Utilities rankings between June 16 and June 18, and rose from 8th to 2nd in Google Play's Tools category.

The trend wasn't confined to a few apps. Sensor Tower reportedly said that downloads across the entire VPN app category in India rose 10 percent day-over-day on June 17, reversing a decline seen over the previous two weeks.

Why did Telegram get banned in India?

The restriction, set to last until June 22, came after concerns that fraudsters were using Telegram to target candidates ahead of a re-test for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate), India's largest entrance exam by applicant volume. The government said the move was necessary to stop the circulation of fake exam papers and related scams. Telegram has since challenged the order in the Delhi High Court, arguing authorities should target specific content rather than block the entire platform.

VPN providers report similar spikes in registrations

Beyond download charts, providers reported sharp jumps in sign-ups. Proton reportedly said daily registrations from India rose 120 percent above baseline, after hourly registrations had already spiked 150 percent on Tuesday evening once the restriction took effect, calling the increase 'extremely noteworthy' given its existing scale in the country.

Users also fled to alternative messaging apps

It wasn't just VPNs. The report suggests that Signal downloads in India rose 72 percent on Apple's App Store and 322 percent on Google Play following the restriction, while Viber's App Store downloads increased 216 percent, according to Appfigures. Notably, Telegram-linked app iMe saw its Google Play downloads jump from a recent daily average of about 827 to 50,900 on June 16.

Court battle continues

Telegram highlighted its cooperation with Indian authorities during this week's Delhi High Court hearings, with its lawyers saying the company had removed channels flagged by authorities and questioning the need for a platform-wide block affecting more than 150 million users in India.

Government lawyers defended the restriction as a temporary, event-linked response tied to the NEET re-test, with Solicitor General Tushar Mehta telling the court that while a permanent ban could raise proportionality concerns, the current measure had a 'logical nexus' to its objective. After hearing arguments from both sides on Thursday, the Delhi High Court reserved its order, with a verdict expected Friday.