Indian media reported Monday (Jan. 25) that India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has issued a new notification making permanent the ban imposed last June on 59 Chinese apps, including Chinese video App TikTok, WeChat, Baidu, and Xiaomi’s global multipoint video messaging app Mi Video Call.
On June 29, 2020, India announced a ban on 59 Chinese-developed apps (applications), and it was unclear at the Time whether the ban on these Chinese-made apps would be permanent.
When the ban was first imposed in India, the Indian government gave the 59 apps a chance to explain its position on compliance with privacy and security requirements, the Times of India reported Monday. The Indian government’s inquiries included questions about data collection and data processing methods, as well as inquiries about data security and privacy.
Indian IT department officials were not satisfied with the content of the responses from the Chinese companies that own the apps and subsequently made the decision to issue a permanent ban, the report said.
Indian business newspaper The Mint also quoted sources familiar with the matter as saying, “The government is not satisfied with the response/explanation of these companies. As a result, the 59 apps are now permanently banned.” The newspaper said the notification was issued last week.
The Times of India also reported that Chinese companies, including ByteBeat’s popular video-sharing app TikTok, Tencent Holdings’ WeChat and Alibaba’s UC Browser, were also asked to answer a series of questions.
The Chinese apps were banned under Section 69A of India’s Information Technology Act. Other Chinese apps believed to have been permanently banned include SHAREit, Likee, Weibo and Xiaomi’s Mi Community.
In its June 2020 order, the ministry said the apps “undermine the sovereignty and integrity of India and (are) prejudicial to the defense, national security and public order of India.
The order was called a “digital strike” in India. It followed a massive bloodbath along the India-China border when 20 Indian soldiers were killed by Chinese communist forces.
In September 2020, India stepped up pressure on Chinese technology companies following a standoff at the border, with Indian authorities banning 118 additional mobile apps, including Tencent’s most popular video game PUBG.
Indian authorities also banned 43 new Chinese mobile apps in November 2020, including shopping site AliExpress. The list of banned Chinese apps so far also includes PUBG Mobile, Snack Video, Cam Card, WeWorkChina and WeDated, among others.
In an interview with the Economic Times, a representative for TikTok said the company is evaluating the notice and will respond to it in due course.
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