India leads world in cutting internet access for 5th year in a row -watchdog

FILE PHOTO: Neelam river flows between Pakistan administered Kashmir and Indian administered Kashmir in Teetwal in north Kashmir's Kupwara district August 9, 2022. REUTERS/Danish Ismail

(Reuters) - India imposed by far the highest number of internet shutdowns in the world in 2022, internet advocacy watchdog Access Now said on Tuesday, as the country topped the list for the fifth successive year.

Out of 187 internet shutdowns globally recorded by Access Now, 84 took place in India, including 49 in Indian- administered Kashmir, the New York-based digital rights advocacy group said in a report published on Tuesday.