Video-sharing, photo editing, e-commerce: 52 Chinese apps that Indian intelligence wants banned

guest · Jun 18, 2020

Video-sharing, photo editing, e-commerce: 52 Chinese apps that Indian intelligence wants banned
June 18, 2020
https://qz.com/india/1869993/tiktok-xiaomi-shareit-among-chinese-apps-under-fire-in-india/

Yesterday (June 17), Indian intelligence agencies reportedly asked the Narendra Modi government to block or issue advisories against the use of 52 mobile apps that are linked to China. The agencies are concerned that these apps extract huge amounts of data from Indian users, and aren’t safe to use, Hindustan Times newspaper reported quoting senior government officials.

While there is no official word yet on whether the government will act on this, the decision might be a tricky one because the list includes some apps that are wildly popular and frequently used in India. Some of these apps, such as TikTok, SHAREit, Bigo Live, Club Factory, Shein, and Helo [...]

Here are the apps that Indian intelligence agencies want Indians to stay away from: [...]
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guest · Jun 29, 2020

India bans TikTok, dozens of other Chinese apps
June 29, 2020
https://techcrunch.com/2020/06/29/india-bans-tiktok-dozens-of-other-chinese-apps/

The Indian government on Monday evening said it was banning 59 apps developed by Chinese firms over concerns that these apps were “engaged in activities which is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, and security of state and public order” in what is the latest standoff between the two most populated nations in the world.

Tarun Pathak, an analyst at research firm Counterpoint, said the order would impact roughly one in three smartphone user in India.

“The Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-IN) has also received many representations from citizens regarding security of data and breach of privacy impacting upon public order issues,” the Indian government agency said.
All of the aforementioned apps are currently live on Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store in India. We have reached out to Google, Apple, ByteDance and several others for comment.
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Chinese smartphone makers command more than 80% of the smartphone market in India, which is the world’s second largest.
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guest · Jun 30, 2020

China says concerned about India banning Chinese apps
June 30, 2020
https://in.reuters.com/article/us-i...bout-india-banning-chinese-apps-idINKBN2410XG

China said on Tuesday it was concerned about India’s decision to ban Chinese mobile apps such as Bytedance’s TikTok and Tencent’s WeChat and was making checks to verify the situation. [nL4N2E63K0]

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters during a daily briefing that India has a responsibility to uphold the rights of Chinese businesses.
India on Monday banned 59, mostly Chinese, mobile apps in its strongest move yet targeting China in the online space since a border crisis erupted between the two countries this month.
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China says India's ban on Chinese apps may violate WTO rules

China said on Tuesday that India’s move to ban 59 Chinese-origin mobile apps could be a breach of World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules, and urged New Delhi to create an open and fair business environment.

“India’s measure selectively and discriminatorily aims at certain Chinese apps on ambiguous and far-fetched grounds, runs against fair and transparent procedure requirements, abuses national security exceptions and (is suspected of) violating WTO rules,” Ji Rong, spokesman at the Chinese embassy in New Delhi, said in a statement.
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guest · Jul 2, 2020

India asks telcos, internet firms to block banned Chinese apps, ByteDance to hold talks
July 1, 2020
https://in.reuters.com/article/indi...se-apps-bytedance-to-hold-talks-idINKBN2425OH

India has ordered telecom companies and other internet providers to stop access to 59 banned Chinese-origin apps, according to notices seen by Reuters, intensifying efforts to crack down on such businesses following a border clash between the nations.

The Department of Telecommunications (DOT) said internet operators should “immediately block” access to such apps and their websites, warning of legal action if they fail to do so, according to notices issued late on Tuesday.
The Indian government has separately reached out to Google and Apple formally and asked them to remove the apps from their app stores so that new downloads can be restricted, two sources told Reuters.
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And for apps already downloaded on phones in India, in coming days the telecom companies will find ways to make them unusable, three industry sources said. It was not immediately clear how the companies will do so.

“It’s very tough to block (downloaded apps), takes time,” said one of the telecom sources.

ByteDance will hold discussions with Indian officials this week and seek clarifications on the app ban, two people familiar with the thinking said. One of the sources said the company will likely also send a written representation to the government later explaining its stance.
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guest · Jul 2, 2020

Apple and Google block dozens of Chinese apps in India
July 1, 2020
https://techcrunch.com/2020/07/01/apple-and-google-block-dozens-of-chinese-apps-in-india/

Two days after India blocked 59 apps developed by Chinese firms, Google and Apple have started to comply with New Delhi’s order and are preventing users in the world’s second largest internet market from accessing those apps.

UC Browser, Shareit, and Club Factory and other apps that India has blocked are no longer listed on Apple’s App Store and Google Play Store. In a statement, a Google spokesperson said that the company had “temporarily blocked access to the apps”on Google Play Store as it reviews New Delhi’s interim order.
Some developers including ByteDance have voluntarily made their apps inaccessible in India, a person familiar with the matter told TechCrunch.
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India’s Department of Telecommunications ordered telecom networks and other internet service providers earlier this week to block access to those 59 apps “effective immediately.” Websites of many of these apps have also become inaccessible in India.

On Thursday, Chinese social network Weibo said it had deleted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s account at the request of the Indian embassy. Modi had amassed about 200,000 followers on Weibo before his account was deleted.
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guest · Jul 4, 2020

TikTok Will Never Hand Over Data to Chinese Govt, Says CEO
July 4, 2020
https://beebom.com/tiktok-data-chinese-government-ceo-statement/

TikTok has sought to distance itself from Beijing after it was banned in India earlier this week

In a letter to the Indian government dated June 28th, the company’s CEO, Kevin Mayer, said that the Chinese government has never asked for data of Indian users. He further claimed that the company wouldn’t comply with such an order even if Beijing asks for it.
In the letter, Mayer also claimed that the company is taking all possible steps to protect the privacy of its users.

“The privacy of our users, and the security and sovereignty of India, are of utmost importance to us. We have already announced our plans to build a data center in India”, he said.
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The letter was send ahead of a possible meeting between the company and government representatives next week. The meeting would likely look for a way to get the ban overturned sooner rather than later. However, according to sources quoted by Reuters, such a step seems unlikely in the near future.
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Reuters: TikTok distances from Beijing in response to India app ban

guest · Jul 27, 2020

India bans 47 apps cloning restricted Chinese services
July 27, 2020
https://techcrunch.com/2020/07/26/india-bans-47-apps-cloning-restricted-chinese-services/

India, which blocked 59 apps developed by Chinese firms late last month on the grounds that they pose a threat to nation’s security, has banned an additional 47 apps.

The nation’s Ministry of Electronics and IT’s new ban order, issued on late Friday, is aimed at those apps that were facilitating access to previously banned services such as TikTok and Cam Scanner. The new apps to be banned includes Cam Scanner Advance, and customized lite versions of Helo and ShareIt. New Delhi is expected to release the full list of apps today.
The ban on 59 apps that impacted TikTok, WeChat, ShareIt, and UC Browser late last month by India, the world’s second largest internet market, was seen as the latest standoff between the world’s two most populated nations.
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The move today comes as the Indian government contemplates restricting access to several more Chinese apps and services. Local media outlets including The Economic Times and India Today reported on Monday that New Delhi was reviewing an additional 275 apps — mostly developed by Chinese firms — including ByteDance’s Resso music streaming service, Ali Express and mobile game PUBG — though it has not reached a decision yet.
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guest · Jul 27, 2020

Mi Community Down In India, Days After Government’s Chinese Apps Ban
July 27, 2020
https://fossbytes.com/mi-community-down-in-india-days-after-governments-chinese-apps-ban/

The list of banned Chinese apps includes some big names such as TikTok, UC Browser, Clean Master from Cheetah Mobile, and several others. The government claimed the apps stole data and transmitted it to locations outside India, and therefore “posed a threat to sovereignty and security of our country.”

One of the apps banned in India is Xiaomi’s Mi Community app. In response, Xiaomi said that it is talking to government stakeholders, and it has disabled the app and the Mi Community website in the meantime.
If you visit the website, you will come across a “403 forbidden” error.
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Xiaomi’s response
When we contacted Xiaomi’s customer support in India, the company said it is reviewing the government orders, and assured all the data of Mi community users is stored “in an encrypted manner in local Indian servers.”
Xiaomi has often posted important MIUI 12 announcements for its Indian users on the Mi Community.

That being said, interested users can still access the website with the help of a VPN service or a proxy website. India is extremely serious about anti-China actions, and in fact, it has banned another 47 apps and says over 275 Chinese apps are under review.
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guest · Jul 29, 2020

After India and US, Japan looks to ban TikTok and other Chinese apps
July 28, 2020
https://techcrunch.com/2020/07/28/japan-proposes-tiktok-ban/

A group of Japanese lawmakers is seeking to restrict the use of TikTok and other apps developed by Chinese firms, following in the footstep of India, which has already blocked dozens of Chinese apps, and the U.S., which is floating the idea of a ban.

The decision was first reported by Japanese national broadcaster NHK. The lawyers shared the same concern as officials in the U.S. and India that their domestic user data could end up in the hands of Beijing, and planned to submit the proposal to the Japanese government as early as September.
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While the Indian ban is certainly a debacle for Chinese developers coveting the fastest-growing internet market, the country’s ARPU, or average revenue per user, also remains low compared to numbers in the West. Japan, on the other hand, is a much more lucrative market.
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guest · Aug 5, 2020

India widens China app ban to cover more from Xiaomi, Baidu
August 5, 2020
https://www.khaleejtimes.com/technology/india-widens-china-app-ban-to-cover-more-from-xiaomi-baidu

India has banned some mobile apps of Chinese companies such as Xiaomi Corp and Baidu Inc, three sources told Reuters on Wednesday, in New Delhi's latest move to hit Chinese companies following a border clash between the neighbours.

India in June outlawed 59 Chinese apps for threatening the country's "sovereignty and integrity", including ByteDance's video-sharing app TikTok, Alibaba's UC Browser and Xiaomi's Mi Community app.
Another ban was imposed in recent weeks on about 47 apps which mostly contained clones, or simply different versions, of the already banned apps, the sources said.
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A spokesman for Xiaomi in India said the company was trying to understand the development and will take appropriate measures. Baidu declined to comment.
Xiaomi is India's No.1 smartphone seller with close to 90 million users, according to Hong Kong-based tech researcher Counterpoint.
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guest · Aug 8, 2020

Xiaomi to release new version of MIUI without banned Chinese apps in India
August 7, 2020
https://www.neowin.net/news/xiaomi-...-of-miui-without-banned-chinese-apps-in-india

The Indian government banned 59 Chinese smartphone apps in late June earlier this year. Then, last month, the government ended up banning 47 more such apps including some apps from Xiaomi itself.

Now, Xiaomi India has issued a statement regarding these banned apps and its stance going forward. The company states that none of the banned apps are accessible on any of its devices. Additionally, the company is working on a new version of MIUI that will be built without any of the banned apps pre-installed.
This new build of MIUI will be rolled out for all Xiaomi devices sold in India in a phased manner over the coming weeks.

The company also reiterated that it complies with all the data privacy and security laws of the Indian government and stores all data of Xiaomi India apps in servers located in the country itself.
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guest · Sep 2, 2020

India bans PUBG and over 100 additional Chinese apps
September 2, 2020
https://techcrunch.com/2020/09/02/india-bans-pubg-and-over-100-additional-chinese-apps/

India has banned more than 100 additional apps with linkage to China including popular mobile game PUBG citing cybersecurity concerns as geopolitical tension between the two neighboring nations continues to rise.

On Wednesday, India’s IT Ministry ordered to ban 118 apps that it said were “prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order.” The move will help “safeguard the interests of crores (tens of millions) of Indian mobile and internet users. This decision is a targeted move to ensure safety, security, and sovereignty of Indian cyberspace,” the ministry said.
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Among the new apps that have been banned today include Baidu, WeChat Work, Tencent Weiyun, Rise of Kingdoms, APUS Launcher, Tencent Weiyun, VPN for TikTok, Mobile Taobao, Youko, Sina News, CamCard, as well as a miniature version of PUBG. (You can see the full list here.)
PUBG is by far the most popular app among the newly banned apps. It had more than 40 million monthly active users in India, according to one of the top mobile insight firms.

“There has been a strong chorus in the public space to take strict action against apps that harm India’s sovereignty as well as the privacy of our citizens.”
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guest · Sep 25, 2020

PUBG Mobile Ban Won’t Be Lifted, Says Indian Government
September 25, 2020
https://fossbytes.com/indian-ministry-says-pubg-mobile-ban-is-going-to-stay/

As per an InsideSport report, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology of India (MeitY) has no intention of lifting the PUBG Mobile ban in the country.
PUBG Mobile Ban In India: Recap
It all started in the month of June due to rising tension between India and China at the border. Later on, the Indian government decided to ban a total of 188 Chinese apps over national security concerns. The ban included both PUBG Mobile and PUBG Mobile Lite.

PUBG Mobile developers, which is the PUBG Corporation, then decided to break its licensing ties with Tencent in India. After breaking ties with China’s Tencent, PUBG Corp. started looking for an Indian partner to bring their popular battle royale back in the country.
PUBG Corp. was in talks with Reliance Jio for a long-term partnership to look after the distribution of their game in India.
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The Indian government has made it crystal clear that it is not going to unban PUBG or any of the other banned Chinese apps. A few days back, PUBG Corp. officials mentioned that they will try to get in touch with the Indian government for a possible solution.

The ban is not only a huge blow to PUBG Corp. but, also to the young talent in the country; be its pro players, content creators, influencers, or the tournament organizers.
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guest · Nov 9, 2020

PUBG could return to India thanks to a new partnership with Microsoft
The country's most popular mobile game respawns
November 9, 2020
https://www.androidpolice.com/2020/...a-thanks-to-a-new-partnership-with-microsoft/

PUBG is one of the most popular mobile games around, but players in India lost access to the title when the government banned a number of Chinese apps earlier this year. The PUBG Corporation has been working on ways to respawn in the country, and now it looks like it may have found a path to return thanks to a new partnership with Microsoft.

Krafton, PUBG Corporation's parent company, announced that it is working with Microsoft to transfer hosting of its products to Azure, Microsoft's cloud computing platform. This impacts all of Krafton's subsidiaries, which means PUBG on PC, consoles, and mobile alike.
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Microsoft runs three data centers in India, and PUBG has indicated that it hopes for a rapid return to the country that could happen by the end of the year.
Source: Krafton
Via: TechCrunch
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guest · Nov 24, 2020

AliExpress Among 43 Chinese Apps Blocked Over Defence, Security Concerns
November 24, 2020
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/43-...to-sovereignty-and-integrity-of-india-2329615

The government has blocked 43 more mobile apps, mostly Chinese, for activities that are "prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order". Four apps owned by China's retail giant, the Alibaba Group, are on the latest banned list.
The apps were banned under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said today.

The government had first banned 59 Chinese apps in June as tension with China peaked following the deaths of 20 Indian soldiers in a clash with Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh's Galwan Valley.
In September, the government banned 118 more apps saying they posed a threat to the country's sovereignty.
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A total of 220 apps now stand blocked, including the viral video platform TikTok and the popular mobile shooting game, PUBG, in what ministers have described as a "digital strike".

"The government is committed to protect the interests of citizens and sovereignty and integrity of India on all fronts and it shall take all possible steps to ensure that," the Centre said today.
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Govt blocks 43 mobile apps from accessing by Indian users. Read list here

India on Tuesday blocked 43 mobile apps from accessing by users in India, under section 69A of the Information Technology Act. The officials have said that these applications have engaged in activities prejudicial to India’s sovereignty, integrity, defence, security and public order.
Here is the list: [...]
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guest · Nov 25, 2020

Here’s a list of all the Chinese apps banned in India
November 25, 2020
https://www.xda-developers.com/all-chinese-apps-banned-india/

In June this year, the Government of India’s Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) issued a notice banning 59 Chinese apps. Since then, the government body has issued several such notices banning more Chinese apps that were found to be “prejudicial to [the] sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order.”
In its latest notice, MeitY banned 43 more apps, including AliExpress and Lalamove, bringing the tally up to 267 banned apps. In case you missed any of our previous coverage, here’s a list of all the Chinese/China-owned apps currently banned in India: [...]

We’ll update this list if more apps are banned, or if apps within are announced to be unbanned.
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guest · Jan 27, 2021

India retains ban on TikTok, UC Browser and 57 other Chinese apps
January 26, 2021
https://techcrunch.com/2021/01/26/india-retains-ban-on-tiktok-uc-browser-and-57-other-chinese-apps/

TikTok, UC Browser, UC News, Baidu Map, Xiaomi’s Video and Community and 53 other Chinese apps that India banned in late June won’t be returning to the country anytime soon, the Indian government has decided, a source familiar with the matter told TechCrunch.

Last week New Delhi told the parent firms of these apps that the responses it had received so far do not adequately address cybersecurity concerns charged against them, the source said, requesting anonymity as the communication is private.
In a statement, TikTok said it was reviewing New Delhi’s notice. “We continually strive to comply with local laws and regulations and do our best to address any concerns the government may have. Ensuring the privacy and security of all our users remains to be our topmost priority,” a spokesperson said.
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guest · Feb 7, 2023

Over 200 Chinese mobile apps banned in India, reducing competition for Paytm
February 7, 2023 - By Usama Jawad @UsamaJawad9

232 mobile apps and websites have reportedly been banned by the Indian interior ministry in an order that is yet to be made public. While some of these apps are created by Indians, they are suspected of transferring data to China. The list of blocked apps and websites contains 138 betting and gambling apps, and 94 apps providing credit services.

Although the reason behind this sweeping block has not been made public yet, it is possibly related to national security, since that is one of the areas that the interior ministry oversees. That said, China and India do have strained political relations too.
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Following news of the block for China-linked credit and lending services, share prices for India's digital payments leader Paytm soared by a record 20% in early trading hours. The creator of the LazyPay lending app, PayU, told Bloomberg that:

Due to unavoidable circumstances our website and app are currently unavailable via a few internet service providers. Please be assured that we are doing everything to resolve the issue.
PayU is owned by South African firm Naspers, which is also the largest shareholder in Chinese tech giant Tencent Holdings.
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Source: Bloomberg
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Video-sharing, photo editing, e-commerce: 52 Chinese apps that Indian intelligence wants banned

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