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India on Monday banned 59, mostly Chinese, mobile apps including Bytedance's TikTok and Tencent's WeChat in its strongest move yet targeting China in the online space since a border crisis erupted between the two countries earlier this month.
The move came as tension between the two countries escalated following the Galwan Valley clashes on June 15, which resulted in casualties.
In an official statement, the ministry of information and technology in India said they issued the order since these apps are "prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defense of India, security of state and public," quoted the Times of India.
File photo from Reuters
Following the order, Google and Apple will have to remove these apps from the Android and iOS stores.
And those that have already been downloaded "will all be deactivated."
Tencent's WeChat has been downloaded more than 100 million times on Google's Android, Alibaba's UC Browser and two of Xiaomi's apps.
Google said it was still waiting for government orders, while Apple did not respond to a request for comment.
The escalating tensions are leading to "hiccups in international trade."
59 apps that will be banned by India. /Screenshot from the Times of India
Last week, electronic imports from China including Apple, Cisco and Dell product were being scrutinized at local checkpoints in India without any "prior warning," which highlights growing strains in a vital trading relationship, the India Cellular and Electronics Association, which represents western companies such as Apple and Nokia as well as Chinese groups Oppo, Xiaomi and Vivo, told CNN.
According to the Time of India, amid concerns over delays in customs clearance for imports from China, the minister of transport and MSME in India, Nitin Gadkari, argued that the order would hurt Indian people but not China.
A mobile phone manufacturer in India told the Global Times on Thursday that the company's product sales have suffered significantly due to the Chinese product boycott in India, and also due to the impact from the pandemic.
(With input from agencies)
