India to impose permanent ban on 59 Chinese apps, including TikTok

• India’s ministry of electronics and information technology has issued fresh notices to make permanent a ban imposed on video app TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps in Jun 21, Indian media reported late on 25 Jan 21.
• When it first imposed the ban, the Indian government gave the 59 apps a chance to explain their position on compliance with privacy and security requirements, the Times of India reported on 25 Jan 21.
• The companies, which include ByteDance’s popular video-sharing app TikTok, Tencent Holdings’ WeChat and Alibaba’s UC Browser, were also asked to respond to a list of questions, the newspaper said.
• “The government is not satisfied with the response/explanation given by these companies. Hence, the ban for these 59 apps is permanent now,” business newspaper Livemint quoted a source familiar with the notices as saying. It said the notices were issued last week.
• The ministry’s Jun 21 order stated that the apps were “prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order”.
• The order, which India referred to as a “digital strike”, followed a skirmish with Chinese troops at a disputed Himalayan border site when 20 Indian soldiers were killed.

External Link : https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN29U2G6