The Indian government has ordered internet service providers to block access to popular developer database platform Supabase, causing significant disruption for the country's technology sector. The order, issued on 24 February under Section 69A of India's Information Technology Act, has resulted in inconsistent access to the platform's core services across major telecom networks.
Supabase, which positions itself as an open-source alternative to Firebase, acknowledged the issue in social media posts starting Wednesday. The San Francisco-based company later tagged India's IT Minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw, asking for intervention, though the post was subsequently removed. Access remains blocked for many users.
Uneven Implementation Across Networks
Access to supabase.co was verified as inaccessible on ACT Fibernet, JioFiber and Airtel connections in New Delhi at the time of publication. However, two users on ACT Fibernet in Bengaluru reported continued access, suggesting an uneven implementation of the restrictions. Notably, Supabase's main marketing website remains accessible, but its underlying developer infrastructure is blocked.
The government has not publicly cited a reason for the move, leaving it unclear whether the action stems from a cybersecurity concern, copyright complaint, or another issue. The duration of the restrictions is also unknown.
Impact on India's Developer Ecosystem
The blocking order has immediate practical consequences. An Indian founder, speaking anonymously to avoid repercussions, said new user sign-ups from India had stopped over the past two to three days. A technology consultant working with local startups also reported being unable to reliably access Supabase for both development and production work.
While Supabase suggested technical workarounds like switching DNS settings or using a VPN, the founder stated such steps were "not practical for most end users."
Significant Market Share at Stake
India represents a crucial market for Supabase, accounting for about 9% of its global traffic and making it the platform's fourth-largest source of visits, according to data from Similarweb. In January, the platform saw roughly 365,000 visits from India, a year-over-year increase of about 179%.
Globally, Supabase's traffic jumped more than 111% to about 4.2 million visits in the same month. The startup, founded in 2020 by CEO Paul Copplestone and CTO Ant Wilson, has raised about $380 million across three funding rounds since September 2024, achieving a $5 billion valuation.
Broader Concerns Over Website Blocking
The incident has reignited concerns about India's website blocking regime. "This is a simple fact that has grave consequences for developers and others," said Raman Jit Singh Chima, Asia Pacific policy director at digital rights group Access Now. "You don’t know where you can safely run projects without the danger that something might get blocked."
India has faced previous criticism for similar actions. In 2014, authorities briefly restricted access to developer platform GitHub, along with Vimeo and Pastebin, during a security probe. Users on some Indian networks in 2023 also reported blocks on a key GitHub content domain.
Official Silence and Next Steps
India’s Ministry of Electronics and IT, along with telecom providers ACT Fibernet, Bharti Airtel, and Reliance Jio, did not respond to requests for comment. Supabase's co-founders, Paul Copplestone and Ant Wilson, also did not respond.
In a statement, Supabase said: "We understand many users in India continue to be blocked from accessing Supabase. We acknowledge the difficulties this is causing... Supabase continues to follow up through all available channels to resolve this issue." The company continues to advise affected customers on potential workarounds as it seeks a permanent resolution.