Here is why TikTok, ShareIt, UC Browser and more Chinese apps have been banned in India

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Why 59 Chinese apps have been banned in India?

Owing to the previous speculations, the Indian government has now announced an official ban on 59 popular Chinese apps in the country. The apps include the popular and the most-used ones such as short video-sharing app TikTok, ShareIt, UC Browser, and more. Read on to know what all apps are included in the list and why the ban has taken place.

59 Chinese apps banned in India

The Government of India has banned all the Chinese apps that are "prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, the security of the state and public order." The decision has been taken by MeitY by invoking its power under section 69A of the Information Technology Act.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has suggested that the apps have been banned in India as they raised several security concerns and were possibly spying on users in the country and stealing their data. It has been suggested that the Chinese apps for both Android and iOS have indulged in privacy breach over a period of time.

MeitY, in a press statement, said, "At the same time, there have been raging concerns on aspects relating to data security and safeguarding the privacy of 130 crore Indians. It has been noted recently that such concerns also pose a threat to sovereignty and security of our country. The Ministry of Information Technology has received many complaints from various sources including several reports about the misuse of some mobile apps available on Android and iOS platforms for stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users’ data in an unauthorized manner to servers which have locations outside India. The compilation of these data, its mining and profiling by elements hostile to national security and defence of India, which ultimately impinges upon the sovereignty and integrity of India, is a matter of very deep and immediate concern which requires emergency measures."

Here is a list of the 59 Chinese apps now banned in India: