How internet shutdowns cost India more than $1.3 billion in 2019

The Supreme Court of India on Friday ordered immediate review of internet suspension in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Restrictions on fundamental rights cannot be done by arbitrary exercise of power, said Justice Ramana while reading out the verdict. Freedom of speech and expression includes right to internet within Article 19 of the Constitution of India, said the apex court.

But, Internet shutdowns are more than merely an inconvenience, they are also having an economic impact on the country.

A new study says that India lost over $1.3 billion in internet shutdowns across the country — lasting 4,196 hours in 2019 — making it the third-most economically affected country after Iraq and Sudan, among 21 countries where major internet shutdowns happened last year. This is a result of internet shutdowns in regions like Jammu & Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Rajasthan, Tripura, and Uttar Pradesh.