When thousands of young protesters gathered at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar recently, one unexpected piece of technology stole the spotlight. It wasn’t a social media app or a livestream. It was Bitchat, a messaging app that doesn’t need mobile data, Wi-Fi or even a phone network.

Soon after reports emerged that some protesters had used it during temporary Internet restrictions, the Union Government directed GitHub to remove its source code repositories, citing national security concerns. The episode once again raises an intriguing question: how do governments regulate technology that doesn’t rely on the Internet at all?

Mesh messaging model

Imagine WhatsApp deciding to ditch the Internet altogether. Developed by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, Bitchat is an open-source messaging app that uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) instead of cellular networks or Wi-Fi. Every phone running the app becomes a tiny relay station. Messages hop from one nearby device to another, creating what’s called a mesh network.

Think of it like a human chain. Even if two persons are hundreds of metres apart, the message can travel through several intermediate phones before reaching its destination. No SIM card. No phone number. No central server. Pretty neat, right?

How far can it actually work?

Here’s the catch. Bluetooth itself has a limited range, typically 30 to 100 metres depending on the device. But because every participating phone forwards messages, the overall communication distance can stretch much farther if enough users are present. That makes Bitchat particularly useful at concerts, college festivals, disaster-hit areas, trekking expeditions and large public gatherings.

It was designed for situations where conventional communication networks are unavailable or deliberately switched off.

The Delhi connection

According to reports, authorities observed protesters at the recent Cockroach Janta Party demonstrations in Delhi using bluetooth-based messaging tools after temporary Internet restrictions were imposed around the protest venue. Soon afterwards, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), under the Ministry of Home Affairs, directed Microsoft-owned GitHub to disable access to three Bitchat repositories within three hours.

The notice warned that non-compliance could affect GitHub’s “safe harbour” protections under India’s Information Technology Act. The government said apps like Bitchat could be misused by anti-national elements because these are significantly harder to lawfully intercept or trace.

Tough for investigators

Most messaging apps leave behind digital breadcrumbs. Messages travel through servers. Phone numbers are registered. Internet service providers maintain logs. Investigators, following due legal process, can often obtain information that helps reconstruct communications. Mesh messaging works differently. Since messages move directly between nearby devices without passing through central servers, there are fewer records available.

Depending on the app’s design, there may be no permanent central database storing conversations or user identities. That doesn’t automatically make such technology illegal. But it does make investigations more challenging when the technology is allegedly used for unlawful activities.

Can governments ban code?

This is where things get interesting. The Centre’s order was directed at GitHub, the world’s largest platform for hosting software code, not directly at individual users. GitHub normally enjoys what’s known as safe harbour protection. In simple terms, it isn’t automatically held legally responsible for everything uploaded by millions of developers, provided it follows applicable laws and responds to valid legal directions.

The notice reportedly warned that failing to remove the specified repositories could put those protections at risk in India. But does taking code off one platform solve the problem? Not quite, says Dhruv Walia, a Pune-based software developer. “Open-source software is often copied, shared and forked across multiple repositories and developer communities. This makes it surprisingly difficult to wipe out completely.”

India isn’t the first

Earlier this year, Apple removed the app from China’s App Store following a regulatory request. Yet, because Bitchat is open-source, copies of its code continued circulating through other channels, highlighting one of the unique challenges posed by decentralised software.

Backup, not replacement

So, is mesh messaging the future? Probably. But, as experts point out, it’s unlikely to replace WhatsApp, Telegram or Signal anytime soon. Instead, they see it as a valuable backup technology. According to Nitin Pandey, a global cybersecurity researcher, mesh messaging has legitimate uses during disasters, network outages and emergencies, when conventional communication networks fail. But he cautions that the same technology can also create challenges for law enforcement.

“The real concern arises when such platforms are exploited for criminal or unlawful activities, as the absence of centralised infrastructure can make attribution, evidence collection and post-incident investigations considerably more difficult. The focus should therefore be on addressing misuse while preserving the legitimate benefits of privacy-enhancing technologies,” he says.

Beyond Bitchat

The Bitchat debate isn’t simply about one app. It’s about the next generation of communication technology. As software becomes increasingly decentralised, governments worldwide face the challenge of encouraging innovation while ensuring national security and preventing misuse.

For young tech enthusiasts, Bitchat offers a glimpse of a future where phones may not always need mobile towers to stay connected. Whether this becomes the future of communication will depend on balancing innovation, privacy, security and the rule of law.