Twitter India Head Role Change

Manish Maheshwari Transitions to New Role at Twitter

Manish Maheshwari, formerly the head of Twitter India, is assuming a different position within the company and will be moving to the United States. This change occurs amidst ongoing developments for the social media platform following a period of friction with authorities in New Delhi earlier this year.

Previous Role and Legal Challenges

Maheshwari is stepping down from his prominent position, which he began in April 2019. During his tenure, he was personally implicated in legal cases filed in at least two Indian states – Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

These cases stemmed from allegations that Twitter was potentially causing offense to individuals within the South Asian market.

New Responsibilities in San Francisco

The announcement regarding Maheshwari’s transition was communicated to Twitter staff on Friday. He will be based in San Francisco and will serve as Senior Director, Revenue Strategy and Operations.

His focus will be on entering new markets, and he will report directly to Senior Director Deitra Mara, as detailed in an internal communication.

Twitter’s Relationship with India

A Twitter spokesperson verified the relocation to TechCrunch, though the company has not yet announced a replacement for Maheshwari’s role in India.

Twitter has encountered scrutiny from the Indian government regarding its handling of certain accounts and tweets. Specifically, New Delhi requested the blocking of specific accounts and the removal of content deemed objectionable.

Compliance with IT Rules

Furthermore, Twitter temporarily lost its safe harbor protection in India due to initial non-compliance with the country’s updated IT regulations, which were implemented in May.

The social network has since taken steps to adhere to the new law, including the appointment of key personnel within India to address local issues, as stated by a government lawyer in court earlier this week.

Recent Criticism

In addition to these challenges, Twitter has recently faced criticism from political figures concerning the temporary suspension of the account belonging to the Indian National Congress, the nation’s primary opposition party.

This situation highlights the complex landscape Twitter navigates while operating in the Indian market.