The Indian government banned 59 Chinese applications earlier this year which includes some of the most popular apps such as TikTok, ShareIt, UC Browser, WeChat, CamScanner, and more. Recently, India banned 47 more apps, which mostly include the ‘Lite’ versions or clones of the apps banned earlier.
Now, it is being reported that the government has prepared a list of 275 Chinese apps which are being studied for potential privacy and security issues. The list includes some of the biggest names, including PUBG Mobile and Alibaba‘s AliExpress.
The report adds that more applications from ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok are under scrutiny, including Resso music streaming and ULike. Further, 14 applications from Xiaomi or Mi are also being tested for the said violations.
The ban on PUBG Mobile could be a serious blow to PUBG Corporation, backed by Tencent. With more than 175 million installs, India is the largest market for the game, accounting for around 24 percent of the total downloads.
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However, do note that the Indian government could ban all of these apps, some of these apps, or none of them. There’s no certainty about this and there’s no timeline about when this could happen. It is also being reported that the Indian government is developing a formal process for such bans, including a law or regulation that would require constant monitoring of apps.
When India banned the 59 apps earlier this year, Ji Rong, spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in India, has said in a statement that China firmly opposed the decision and claimed that it’s a “violation of World Trade Organisation rules.”
The decision of banning Chinese applications is a result of rising tensions related to border disputes between India and China. Along with banning apps, India has also restricted neighboring countries from bidding on public contracts, exclusive Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Nepal which means that it is clearly targeting China.
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