In spats with Twitter, India's government begins messaging shift to rival Koo

FILE PHOTO: Twitter logo is seen on smartphone in front of displayed Koo app logo in this illustration taken, February 10, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Twitter Inc is fast losing its sheen as a favoured communications tool for many Indian government departments and ministers keen to promote home-grown rival Koo while the U.S. firm comes under fire for non-compliance with India's laws.

The most high-profile example has been India's new IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. Taking office this month, he opened a new Koo account and soon after announced a review of social media firms' compliance with strict new rules - information not posted to his 258,000 Twitter followers.