India’s ban on 59 Chinese apps, including the wildly popular TikTok and WeChat platforms, has left millions of users surprised and disappointed.
The government in Delhi said the apps were “prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order”.
TikTok denied sharing any data with the Chinese government. Beijing said it was “strongly concerned” about the ban.
Experts describe the ban as a political move amid rising bilateral tensions.
Anti-China sentiment has been high in India since the clashes earlier this month at the disputed border between the two nuclear-armed neighbours left 20 Indian troops dead.
China gave no details on whether there were any Chinese casualties.
The fighting occurred in the Himalayan region of Ladakh, where both countries have increased deployment close to the disputed border.
Calls to boycott Chinese goods soon emerged, and the government issued directives to cancel or limit Chinese contracts with public sector companies.
But the ban on the apps took many by surprise. The list includes the microblogging platform Weibo, the strategy game Clash of Kings, Alibaba’s UC Browser, and e-commerce apps Club Factory and Shein.
The app makers have said they are in talks with the Indian government, while Beijing has asked India to reconsider its decision.
“We want to stress that Chinese government always asks Chinese businesses to abide by international and local laws-regulations. Indian government has a responsibility to uphold the legal rights of international investors including Chinese ones,” ANI news agency quotes Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian as saying.
