Union IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has called the ban on 59 Chinese apps “a digital strike” by India on China. Speaking at a virtual BJP rally in Bengal, the minister said the apps were banned to protect data of Indians.
Ravi Shankar Prasad has said, “For security and sovereignty of India, for countrymen’s digital security and privacy we have banned 59 apps, including TikTok. India knows how to look in the eyes of those eyeing our borders and to protect countrymen, India can even do a digital strike.”
Ravi Shankar Prasad also said, “India for peace but if somebody casts an evil eye we will give befitting reply.”
India has banned 59 apps with Chinese links, including hugely popular TikTok and UC Browser, saying they were prejudicial to sovereignty, integrity and security of the country.
The list of apps that have been banned also include Helo, Likee, CamScanner, Vigo Video, Mi Video Call Xiaomi, Clash of Kings as well as e-commerce platforms Club Factory and Shein.
The move came amid the bitter border dispute between India and China following the brutal clashes in Galwan Valley in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed.
The Information Technology Ministry in a statement said it has received many complaints from various sources, including several reports about misuse of some mobile apps available on Android and iOS platforms for “stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users’ data in an unauthorised manner to servers which have locations outside India”.
