After banning 59 Chinese applications last month, the Indian government has banned 47 more apps of Chinese origin in the country. Sources have told India Today TV that the 47 banned Chinese apps were operating as clones of earlier banned apps. The list of the 47 Chinese applications will be released soon.
India has also prepared a list of over 250 apps that it will examine for any user privacy or national security violations, government sources told India Today TV.
As per the government sources, India has drawn up a list of over 250 Chinese apps that are under scanner for any violation of national security and user privacy.
Some top gaming Chinese applications are also expected to be banned in the new list that is being drawn up, sources said. The Chinese applications, that are being reviewed, have allegedly been sharing data with the Chinese agencies.
Today’s decision follows after high-profile ban of 59 Chinese apps including TikTok as border tensions continued in Ladakh after a violent, fatal face-off between the Indian and Chinese armies. The government said these apps were engaged in activities that were prejudicial to the sovereignty, integrity and defence of India.
A government press release announcing the ban stated: “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”.
