By 2025, Telegram isn’t just another messaging app. In India, Russia, and Indonesia, it’s become the go-to source for breaking news - faster than TV, more accessible than newspapers, and harder to shut down than social media platforms. Millions rely on it daily, not for memes or chats, but for real-time updates on politics, wars, elections, and disasters. But how does it work differently in each country? And why has it taken root so deeply where traditional media is weak or censored?
India: The Parallel News Network
In India, over 86 million people use Telegram monthly for news, according to BankMyCell’s 2025 data. That’s more than the entire user base of Twitter in the country. The platform’s appeal? It bypasses mainstream media filters. When the 2023 Manipur violence erupted, false videos spread across Telegram in under 48 hours, reaching 15 million users. But so did fact-checks - from channels like Alt News and The Logical Indian, which together have over 5 million combined subscribers.
Urban, college-educated users dominate this space. Nearly 80% of Indian Telegram news consumers have a university degree. Channels like The Deshbhakt (3.2M subscribers) and Swarajya (1.9M) cater to polarized audiences, while official party channels like BJP’s (1.2M) and Congress’s (850K) used Telegram to mobilize voters during the 2024 elections. Over 5,000 political channels were launched that year alone.
But it’s not all freedom. The Indian government requested user data from Telegram over 22,000 times in early 2025 - a 300% jump from the year before. Channels covering protests, religious issues, or opposition politics are frequently targeted. Still, users keep joining. Why? Because when mainstream outlets stay silent, Telegram doesn’t.
Russia: The Only Channel Left Standing
In Russia, Telegram isn’t just popular - it’s essential. After the Kremlin shut down independent media in 2022, millions turned to Telegram. By March 2025, 68% of Russians said it was their primary news source, up from just 42% in early 2022. The platform became the last open window to the world.
Channels like Meduza and Novaya Gazeta, once web-based newspapers, now operate entirely on Telegram. Meduza’s channel alone has 2.3 million subscribers. Even Russian officials use it: Dmitry Medvedev’s channel gets over a million views per post. The most-followed channel, Meta Silense TON, has 5.5 million followers - more than any state TV network.
During the Ukraine war, Ukrainian military updates reached 4.7 million Russian users within 24 hours. The Russian government tried blocking Telegram multiple times, but users found workarounds - proxies, VPNs, even SMS-based access. When Telegram briefly went down during the Wagner Group rebellion in 2023, mobile data usage spiked 300% as people scrambled for alternatives.
Unlike India or Indonesia, Russia hasn’t adopted Telegram’s new ‘News Verification Badges.’ The government won’t allow third-party fact-checkers on the platform. So misinformation thrives - but so does truth. For many Russians, Telegram is the only place where they can hear both sides.
Indonesia: Religion, Elections, and Real-Time Warnings
Indonesia’s 28.5% Telegram penetration rate - about 80 million users - makes it the fastest-growing news market in Southeast Asia. In 2024, 67% of voters said they got their election news from Telegram, according to LIPI. The platform became the unofficial election monitor: unofficial vote-counting channels reached 15 million users before the official results were announced.
Islamic news channels like Dakwah Center (4.1M subscribers) and political ones like KPU Official (3.8M) lead the pack. But the biggest challenge? Religious misinformation. During the 2023 Christmas season, the Wahid Institute found 12,000 viral posts spreading anti-Christian content - reaching an estimated 25 million people. Many were doctored images of churches being burned or fake quotes from religious leaders.
Yet Telegram also saves lives. During the 2024 Java earthquake, local Telegram channels issued tsunami warnings 23 minutes faster than official government alerts. People in coastal towns relied on those messages to evacuate. That’s why, despite the risks, Indonesia’s government hasn’t tried to block Telegram. Instead, they partnered with fact-checkers like Mafindo to add verification badges to credible news channels - a move rolled out in March 2025.
How Telegram Differs From Other Platforms
Why not WhatsApp? Because WhatsApp limits broadcasts to 256 people. Telegram channels can have unlimited subscribers. Why not Facebook? Because Facebook removes content. In 2023 alone, Meta deleted 22 million political posts in India. Telegram doesn’t moderate - unless forced by law.
Signal is more private, but it’s built for small groups, not mass news. Twitter is public, but its algorithm pushes outrage, not accuracy. Telegram is neutral. It doesn’t decide what you see. You choose your channels. That’s empowering - and dangerous.
Telegram’s infrastructure supports this. It uses MTProto encryption, delivers messages instantly even on slow networks, and lets users download files up to 4GB - perfect for sharing videos of protests, battlefield footage, or election fraud claims.
The Dark Side: Misinformation and Power
Telegram’s lack of moderation is its strength and its flaw. In India, manipulated videos of police violence went viral during farmers’ protests. In Russia, false claims about NATO troop movements spread daily. In Indonesia, fake religious fatwas incited riots.
But here’s the catch: the same channels that spread lies also debunk them. Alt News in India, Mediazona in Russia, and Mafindo in Indonesia all use Telegram to fight misinformation. It’s a war of channels - and the public decides who wins.
Telegram’s new ‘Trending News’ section, launched in India and Indonesia in early 2025, tries to help. It surfaces popular channels based on engagement, not algorithms. It doesn’t verify content - it just shows what’s being shared. That’s a conscious choice. Telegram isn’t trying to be a news organization. It’s trying to be a platform.
What’s Next?
By 2027, eMarketer predicts 35% of urban Indians will get their news from Telegram. In Russia, if current restrictions continue, 82% of citizens could rely on it by 2026. Indonesia’s growth is even faster - news channel subscriptions are rising 67% a year.
But there’s a financial cliff. Telegram made only $13.6 million in-app revenue in 2025. It costs billions to run. If they start charging for news access, or selling data, it could break the trust users have built.
For now, it works. People in Delhi, Moscow, and Jakarta wake up to Telegram alerts before their phones ring. They share links, argue in comments, and sometimes - just sometimes - they find the truth.
Why is Telegram so popular for news in India, Russia, and Indonesia?
Telegram is popular because it allows unlimited public broadcasting, works even when internet speeds are slow, and doesn’t censor content unless legally forced. In countries where traditional media is restricted - like Russia - or overwhelmed by misinformation - like India and Indonesia - Telegram fills the gap. It’s fast, free, and doesn’t need permission to follow.
Is Telegram more reliable than WhatsApp or Facebook for news?
It’s not more reliable - it’s just different. WhatsApp limits news to small groups and is harder to scale. Facebook uses algorithms that push outrage and removes content aggressively. Telegram doesn’t filter, so you get raw, unedited updates - good and bad. Reliability depends on the channels you follow, not the app itself.
How do people in these countries find trustworthy Telegram news channels?
Users rely on word-of-mouth, community recommendations, and verification badges. In India, Alt News and Boom Live are trusted for fact-checking. In Indonesia, Mafindo labels credible sources. In Russia, independent outlets like Meduza built their reputations before being blocked. People also check multiple channels - if three different sources report the same thing, it’s more likely true.
Can governments shut down Telegram in these countries?
They’ve tried - especially in Russia and India. But Telegram is built to survive blocks. It uses encrypted protocols, changes IP addresses quickly, and users switch to proxies or VPNs. When Russia blocked it in 2018, users still accessed it through mirror sites. When India pressured Telegram for data in 2025, the app refused to comply. Shutting it down completely is nearly impossible without cutting off the entire internet.
Are Telegram news channels regulated?
Not really - not by Telegram. The platform doesn’t monitor content. But governments in India and Indonesia have started forcing fact-checking partnerships. India now requires channels to label misinformation. Indonesia added verification badges. Russia rejects all external oversight. So regulation depends on the country - not the app.
What’s the future of Telegram as a news platform?
It’s growing fast, but financially fragile. Telegram’s revenue is tiny compared to its infrastructure costs. If they start charging for news access, limiting file sizes, or selling user data, trust could collapse. For now, it survives on donations and Premium subscriptions. Its future depends on whether users are willing to pay for an uncensored, unfiltered news feed - and whether governments let it stay open.
