India bans 59 mostly Chinese apps including TikTok, WeChat citing security concerns

By
Reuters
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Web Desk
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TikTok has been banned in India due to security concerns. — AFP/Files

NEW DELHI: India on Monday banned 59, mostly Chinese, mobile apps including Bytedance's TikTok, Alibaba's UC Browser, and Tencent's WeChat citing security concerns, the government said in a statement on Monday.

The apps are "prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order", the ministry of information technology said.

The ban comes after a deadly border conflict between the two nuclear-armed nations earlier this month in which 20 Indian soldiers have died.

"The Ministry of Information Technology, invoking it’s power under section 69A of the Information Technology Act read with the relevant provisions of the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking of Access of Information by Public) Rules 2009 and in view of the emergent nature of threats has decided to block 59 apps since in view of information available they are engaged in activities which is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order," the press release said.

India's Minister for Electronics and Information Technology and Communications Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the step was taken for "safety, security, defence, sovereignty & integrity of India".

Here are the applications that India has banned:

TikTok

Shareit

Kwai

UC Browser

Baidu map

Shein

Clash of Kings

DU battery saver

Helo

Likee

YouCam makeup

Mi Community

CM Brower

Virus Cleaner

APUS Browser

ROMWE

Club Factory

Newsdog

Beutry Plus

WeChat

UC News

QQ Mail

Weibo

Xender

QQ Music

QQ Newsfeed

Bigo Live

SelfieCity

Mail Master

Parallel Space

Mi Video Call - Xiaomi

WeSync

ES File Explorer

Viva Video - QU Video Inc

Meitu

Vigo Video

New Video Status

DU Recorder

Vault- Hide

Cache Cleaner DU App studio

DU Cleaner

DU Browser

Hago Play With New Friends

Cam Scanner

Clean Master - Cheetah Mobile

Wonder Camera

Photo Wonder

QQ Player

We Meet

Sweet Selfie

Baidu Translate

Vmate

QQ International

QQ Security Center

QQ Launcher

U Video

V fly Status Video

Mobile Legends

DU Privacy