Supabase is facing disruptions in India after New Delhi ordered internet service providers to block its website under Section 69A of the country’s Information Technology Act, leading to uneven access across networks in one of the platform’s key markets.
The blocking order was issued on February 24, according to a source familiar with the matter. Section 69A gives the Indian government authority to restrict public access to online content. The government has not publicly stated the reason for the action, and it remains unclear whether the move is related to cybersecurity concerns, copyright issues or another matter. The duration of the restrictions has not been disclosed.
Access Inconsistent Across Networks
Access to Supabase has been inconsistent for several days. The San Francisco-based company acknowledged the issue in social media posts beginning Wednesday. It initially reported restrictions on Reliance Jio’s JioFiber network, but users later reported similar problems across multiple providers and telecom operators.
In a Friday post, Supabase tagged India’s IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, asking for intervention to restore access. The company later removed the message and said in a subsequent update that the site remained blocked for many users in the country.
TechCrunch verified at the time of publication that supabase.co was inaccessible on connections from ACT Fibernet, JioFiber and Bharti Airtel in New Delhi. Two users on ACT Fibernet in Bengaluru said they could still access the service, suggesting the restrictions may not be uniformly implemented.
While Supabase’s main website remained accessible in India, its underlying developer infrastructure was not.
Developers Report Impact
An Indian startup founder, who requested anonymity to avoid potential repercussions, told TechCrunch they had stopped seeing new user sign-ups from India over the past two to three days.
A technology consultant working with local startups, also speaking anonymously, said they were unable to reliably access Supabase for both development and production purposes.
Supabase suggested potential workarounds, including switching DNS settings or using a virtual private network. However, the founder said those measures were not practical for most end users.
India Accounts For Significant Traffic
India represents Supabase’s fourth-largest source of traffic, accounting for about 9% of global visits, according to Similarweb data. The platform’s global traffic increased more than 111% year over year to approximately 4.2 million visits in January.
In India, visits rose roughly 179% to about 365,000. In the United States, traffic grew about 168.5% to approximately 627,000.
Policy Concerns And Past Blocks
Raman Jit Singh Chima, Asia Pacific policy director at Access Now, said the incident reflects broader concerns about India’s website blocking practices.
“This is a simple fact that has grave consequences for developers and others,” he told TechCrunch. “You don’t know where you can safely run projects without the danger that something might happen where it gets blocked, and suddenly you’re scrambling to find a way.”
India has previously faced criticism over broad website blocking measures. In 2014, authorities temporarily restricted access to GitHub, along with services including Vimeo, Pastebin and Weebly during a security investigation. In 2023, users on some Indian networks reported that a key GitHub content domain had been blocked by certain internet service providers.
Company Background
Founded in 2020 by chief executive Paul Copplestone and chief technology officer Ant Wilson, Supabase positions itself as an open-source alternative to Firebase built on PostgreSQL.
The startup has gained traction amid growing interest in so-called vibe coding tools and AI-driven app development. Since September 2024, it has raised about $380 million across three funding rounds, reaching a valuation of $5 billion.
India’s Ministry of Electronics and IT, as well as telecom providers ACT Fibernet, Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio, did not respond to requests for comment. Copplestone and Wilson also did not respond.
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