Internet shutdowns: Global economy struggles as the web goes dark

India ranked sixth in terms of economic losses caused by government-imposed internet shutdowns in 2024, according to a recently released report. The latest edition of the Global Cost of Internet Shutdowns report by Top10VPN.com revealed that 28 countries experienced such internet outages — the highest recorded in a single year to date. 

The economic losses linked to government-induced disruptions amounted to $7.69 billion globally in 2024, a decline of 15.77 per cent compared to the previous year. However, the duration of these shutdowns (in hours) increased by 12 per cent, reaching an all-time high of 88,788 hours.   

China does not appear on the list because it uses a firewall to restrict its citizens access to certain websites and keywords, rather than resorting to government-backed internet disruptions. 

The number of deliberate internet outages fell to an eight-year low of 60 incidents. India’s losses decreased by 44.84 per cent, adding up to $322.9 million in 2024, while 67.7 million internet users were affected by internet shutdowns — a 14.55 per cent increase from 2023. This rise in the number of affected users, despite the decline in incidents, likely reflects increased internet usage penetration across the country.     

The deteriorating law and order situation in Manipur, along with protests in Punjab and Haryana, were likely behind the concentration of internet shutdown incidents and the associated economic losses over the past two years. Haryana suffered the highest losses, amounting to $217.88 million in 2024, while Manipur and Punjab followed with costs of $318.26 million and $124.41 million, respectively, in 2023. 

In 2024, costs related to internet outages for information control ($1.55 billion) and elections ($1.48 billion) saw a considerable jump compared to the 2020–2023 period.   

Conflicts, protests, and political repression around the world were some reasons governments suspended internet services.