Twitter says it has appointed officials to comply with India's IT rules

Twitter has appointed a Chief Compliance Officer-cum-Grievance Officer and a nodal officer as required under India’s new information technology rules.

Twitter’s statement comes a week after the court said it was in “total non-compliance” with the new rules. (AP)

Twitter Inc. told an Indian court it has appointed permanent executives to comply with the nation's rules, a move that could ease tension between the social media giant and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.

The U.S.-based company appointed a Chief Compliance Officer-cum-Grievance Officer and a nodal officer as required under India's new information technology rules, Twitter's lawyer Sajan Poovayya told the Delhi High court at a hearing Friday.

Twitter's statement comes a week after the court said it was in “total non-compliance” with the new rules, putting the company at risk of losing legal immunity from prosecution for content posted by users on social platforms. The Indian government will now examine whether the appointments are per the rules, Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, representing the federal government, said during the hearing. The court will hear the case again on Aug. 10.

The new rules for online companies require stricter disclosures and compliance. Facebook Inc's WhatsApp is in court, arguing the new rules would circumvent its encryption, a key feature the company has touted in global marketing.