The Government of India has recently issued new orders for banning around 54 Chinese apps, labelling them as a threat to the security and privacy of smartphone users in the country. Many of these apps belong to Chinese tech behemoths like Alibaba, Tencent and NetEase, and are just rebranded versions of apps that have already been banned in the country since 2020. As per sources, about 54 apps have been blocked from being accessed via PlayStore in India. Sources also point out that even apps like ByteDance-owned TikTok and Tencent's WeChat could be downloaded via alternative means such as APK files. According to the Government, the key reasons for the ban were "sovereignty and integrity of India, security of the state and public order, defense of India”.

Source: Economic Times February 14, 2022 20:46 UTC