According to a local media source, India has banned 54 Chinese apps in a new order citing security concerns, in the latest instance of tensions between the two neighbors mired in a protracted border dispute affecting commercial operations.
The current action comes as a long-running conflict between the two nuclear-armed nations rages on, following erupting in a violent 2020 skirmish that claimed the lives of soldiers on both sides and prompted India to enact tighter regulations for Chinese investments, including the original app ban.
Since then, hundreds of troops, tanks, and artillery guns from both countries have been massed along an unmarked 3,488 km (2,170 miles) boundary along the Himalayas.
Tensions between the two countries remain high, with India's army chief recently warning of the threat of a Chinese attack. The government has banned 54 apps due to security concerns, according to a new order.
Apps from significant digital businesses such as Tencent, Alibaba, and NetEase have been blocked by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. These are claimed to be rebranded versions of apps that India has previously banned until 2020. The names are listed below.
- Beauty Camera - Selfie Camera
- AppLock
- CamCard for SalesForce Ent
- Dual Space Lite
- Equalizer & Bass Booster
- Beauty Camera: Sweet Selfie HD
- Isoland 2: Ashes of Time Lite
- Onmyoji Arena
- Onmyoji Chess
- Tencent Xriver
- Viva Video Editor and more