Months after implementing a ban on several Chinese apps, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology sent notices to TikTok and other banned apps, suggesting that the ban on them would be continued. This makes the interim ban imposed on these apps almost permanent.
It is reported that the ministry made its decision and sent these notices after reviewing replies received from the blocked Chinese apps including TikTok.
Media reports quoted TikTok as confirming that it received a notice from the government of India regarding the ban.
It is to be noted that the central government had announced an interim ban on as many as 59 Chinese apps including widely popular TikTok in June 2020. Later, the Centre had widened it to block 118 more apps, including the much-loved PUBG mobile game, in September 2020. The ministry had asserted that these apps were stealing and transmitting Indian users' data to servers outside India in an unauthorised way.
The government had made its decision after considering these Chinese apps to be a threat to national security and to safeguard the interests of millions of Indians who used these apps. Apps like TikTok and PUBG were banned under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act as these apps were considered to be engaged in activities prejudicial to the defence of India, sovereignty and integrity of India, and public order.
The central government's crackdown on these apps came soon after the India-China military standoff began in Eastern Ladakh, which is yet to be resolved.
Before its ban, TikTok was one of the top 10 apps on Google Play Store and Apple App Store in India, with as many as 119 million active users in the country.
After India's ban, the United States under President Donald Trump had also taken steps to ban apps like TikTok and WeChat due to national security concerns.
