Indian government bans 59 Chinese applications: Will this move boost the usage of Indian apps?

Indian government bans 59 Chinese applications: Will this move boost the usage of Indian apps? 

 The Indian government banned 59 Chinese mobile applications, including topmost social media platforms such as TikTok, Helo, and WeChat, to combat the threat posed by these apps to the country’s “sovereignty and security,” it stated in a press statement late on Monday.

UC browser, ShareIT, and shopping app Clubfactory are amongst the other leading apps that have been banned among soaring tensions between India and China following disputes at the border two weeks before.

The government announced the applications are involved in activities “prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order.” The ban has been imposed under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act read with relevant provisions of the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking of Access of Information by Public) Rules 2009, it announced.

The government also mentioned accusations about data from Indian users being transferred overseas without permission. The movement could begin as a blow to China’s Digital Silk Route aims, eroding the valuation of the companies. It could also commence to more nations following India’s lead and fighting against these apps, sources told ET.

A top official stated the government had analyzed all aspects before making the decision. “These apps have been there for a long time, and there are some privacy and security issues with them including risks of data going out of the country,” stated the person.

The declaration from the Ministry of Electronics and IT (Meity) announced it had received complaints from numerous sources, including many reports about the abuse of some mobile apps for cheating and secretly sending users’ data to illegal servers outside India.

“The compilation of the data, its mining , and profiling by elements hostile to national security and defence of India, which ultimately impinges upon the sovereignty and integrity of India, is a matter of very deep and immediate concern which requires emergency measures,” it stated. “There have been raging concerns on aspects relating to data security and safeguarding the privacy of 130 crore Indians. It has been noted recently that such concerns also pose a threat to sovereignty and security of our country.”

The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, part of the Ministry of Home Affairs, has bestowed an “exhaustive recommendation for blocking the malicious apps,” the press announcement said.

InMobi, the ad tech company that owns Roposo, a video app that is a rival of TikTok, announced the move would clear up the market for its platform while ShareChat, the Indian social network, greeted the government’s move.

Bolo Indya, an opponent to TikTok, declares it will profit from the ban on its larger opponent. “We welcome the decision as we resonate the concerns raised by the government. This is the opportunity for Bolo Indya and other Indian apps to deliver value, keeping Indian culture and data security at the highest priority,” stated its co-founder and CEO Varun Saxena.

Here's the entire list of the apps banned in India:

1. TikTok

2. Shareit

3. Kwai

4. UC Browser

5. Baidu map

6. Shein

7. Clash of Kings

8. DU battery saver

9. Helo

10. Likee

11. YouCam makeup

12. Mi Community

13. CM Browers

14. Virus Cleaner

15. APUS Browser

16. ROMWE

17. Club Factory

18. Newsdog

19. Beutry Plus

20. WeChat

21. UC News

22. QQ Mail

23. Weibo

24. Xender

25. QQ Music

26. QQ Newsfeed

27. Bigo Live

28. SelfieCity

29. Mail Master

30. Parallel Space

31. Mi Video Call – Xiaomi

32. WeSync

33. ES File Explorer

34. Viva Video – QU Video Inc

35. Meitu

36. Vigo Video

37. New Video Status

38. DU Recorder

39. Vault-Hide

40. Cache Cleaner DU App studio

41. DU Cleaner

42. DU Browser

43. Hago Play With New Friends

44. Cam Scanner

45. Clean Master – Cheetah Mobile

46. Wonder Camera

47. Photo Wonder

48. QQ Player

49. We Meet

50. Sweet Selfie

51. Baidu Translate

52. Vmate

53. QQ International

54. QQ Security Center

55. QQ Launcher

56. U Video

57. V fly Status Video

58. Mobile Legends

59. DU Privacy