Supabase, a popular developer database platform, is experiencing turmoil in India, one of its key markets. TechCrunch has learned that it has been blocked in India. New Delhi ordered internet providers to block the website, resulting in poor connectivity across the network.
The blocking order was issued on February 24 under Section 69A of India’s Information Technology Act, according to sources familiar with the matter. This provision gives the government the power to restrict public access to online content.
The Indian government has not publicly stated the reason for the action, and it is not immediately clear whether the action is linked to cybersecurity concerns, copyright infringement issues or other issues. It was also unclear how long the restrictions would remain in place.
Access to Supabase has been inconsistent in India over the past few days, and the San Francisco-based company acknowledged the issue in a social media post from Wednesday. While Supabase’s limitations on Reliance Industries’ JioFiber network were first reported, users have since reported similar issues on several internet providers and telecom networks. In one post on Friday, Supabase tagged India’s IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, asking him to intervene and restore access, but the company later deleted the message and said in a subsequent update that the site remained blocked for many users in the country.
An Indian startup founder, who asked not to be named to avoid potential repercussions, told TechCrunch that there have been no new user sign-ups in India over the past two to three days. A technology consultant working with a local startup, who asked to remain anonymous, said they had not been able to reliably access Supabase for both development and production purposes.
Supabase suggested workarounds such as switching DNS settings or using a VPN (a method of rerouting Internet traffic to bypass local restrictions), but the founder said these steps are not practical for most end users.
At the time of publication, TechCrunch could confirm that supabase.co remained inaccessible on ACT Fibernet, JioFiber and Airtel connections in New Delhi. However, two ACT Fibernet users in Bengaluru said they were still able to access the service, suggesting the restrictions may be unevenly enforced.
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Notably, while Supabase’s main website remained accessible in India, its underlying developer infrastructure did not.
India is Supabase’s fourth-largest traffic source, accounting for about 9% of global visits, according to data from Similarweb, highlighting the potential fallout for the Indian developer ecosystem. Global traffic on the platform grew more than 111% year-over-year, reaching approximately 4.2 million visits in January. In India, visits increased by approximately 179% to approximately 365,000, while in the United States, visits increased by 168.5% to approximately 627,000.
Raman Jit Singh Chima, Asia Pacific policy director at Access Now, said the incident highlights widespread concerns about India’s website blocking regime.
“This is a simple fact that has serious consequences for developers and others,” he told TechCrunch. “You don’t know where you can safely execute your project without the risk of what might happen in the middle of nowhere, and then suddenly you’re struggling to find your way.”
India has previously been criticized for its widespread website blocking measures. In 2014, authorities briefly restricted access to developer platform GitHub, along with services such as Vimeo, Pastebin, and Weebly, amid a security investigation. According to previous reports, in 2023, some Indian network users reported that key GitHub content domains were blocked by certain ISPs.
Founded in 2020 by CEO Paul Copplestone and CTO Ant Wilson, Supabase has positioned itself as an open source alternative to Firebase built on PostgreSQL. The startup attracted attention as interest in so-called ‘vibe coding’ tools and AI-based app development increased, and raised approximately $380 million through three funding rounds starting in September 2024, raising the company’s value to $5 billion.
India’s Ministry of Electronics and IT and telecom providers including ACT Fibernet, Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio did not respond to requests for comment. Copplestone and Wilson also did not respond.
