India’s ministry of electronics and information technology to permanently ban 59 Chinese applications, the TikTok short video app is also included.
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.
Companies, including ByteDance’s popular video distribution platform TikTok, Tencent’s WeChat messaging platform and Alibaba’s UC Browser, were also asked to respond to a list of privacy and security questions.
“The government is not satisfied with the responses / explanations given by these companies. Therefore, the ban on these 59 applications is permanent now,” the Indian newspaper reported, according to a source with knowledge of the notice.
India’s ITE ministry, in June, issued a blocking order stating that the applications “harm India’s sovereignty and integrity, Indian defense, state security and public order.”
The order, which India calls a “digital strike,” follows a clash of Chinese troops on the Himalayan border that killed 20 Indian soldiers.
In September, India blocked 118 other mobile apps, including Tencent’s popular video game PUBG, increasing pressure on the Chinese tech company.
TikTok representatives, according to Indian media, said they were evaluating the notification and would respond accordingly.
