India disrupts access to popular developer platform Supabase with blocking order

Supabase, a widely used database platform for developers, has encountered significant access issues in India, a crucial market for the company. Reports indicate that the Indian government has issued a blocking order affecting the platform, which has led to sporadic accessibility across various internet service providers. The directive was enacted on February 24 under Section 69A of India’s Information Technology Act, empowering the government to restrict access to online content. However, the government has not disclosed the reasons behind this action, leaving many to speculate whether it relates to cybersecurity, copyright concerns, or other matters. The duration of these restrictions remains uncertain. In recent days, users in India have reported inconsistent access to Supabase. The company, based in San Francisco, acknowledged these challenges in a series of social media posts. Initial reports of the restrictions originated from users on Reliance Industries’ JioFiber network, but similar issues have since surfaced across multiple providers. In a recent social media tag to India’s IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Supabase urged for intervention to restore access, although this post was later deleted. The company confirmed that many users in India are still unable to reach their services, expressing empathy for the disruptions faced by their Indian clientele. An anonymous Indian startup founder revealed that they have not seen any new user registrations from India in the past few days, while a technology consultant pointed out that reliable access to Supabase was essential for both development and production work. Despite Supabase’s suggestions for workarounds, such as changing DNS settings or using a VPN, these solutions may not be feasible for all users. As of the latest updates, Supabase's website remains inaccessible on major networks like ACT Fibernet, JioFiber, and Airtel in New Delhi. However, some users in Bengaluru reported continued access, indicating that the restrictions may not be uniformly enforced. Significantly, India constitutes Supabase's fourth-largest traffic source, accounting for approximately 9% of its global visits, as per Similarweb data. The platform’s global traffic surged by over 111% year-on-year to around 4.2 million visits in January, with Indian visits climbing roughly 179% to about 365,000. This incident raises broader questions about India's approach to website blocking, as highlighted by Raman Jit Singh Chima, Asia Pacific policy director at Access Now. He emphasized the detrimental effects these actions have on developers, underscoring the uncertainty and challenges they face in managing projects under such restrictions. Historically, India has faced scrutiny for its website blocking policies, with previous incidents affecting platforms like GitHub during security investigations. Founded in 2020 by Paul Copplestone and Ant Wilson, Supabase has positioned itself as an open-source alternative to Firebase, gaining significant traction and raising approximately $380 million in funding, elevating its valuation to $5 billion. Requests for comments from India’s Ministry of Electronics and IT, as well as major telecom providers, have gone unanswered.