Apple App Store, Google Play Block Access to Banned Chinese Apps From India

Government banned 59 Chinese apps including TikTok earlier this week.

By Abhik Sengupta | Updated: 2 July 2020 13:00 IST

Apple App Store, Google Play Block Access to Banned Chinese Apps From India

TikTok went offline on its own and stated it is complying with Government's order

Highlights

59 apps are banned under the emergency clause 69A of the IT Act 2000
TikTok and SHAREit went offline on their own
Apple has also removed several banned Chinese apps from App Store

59 Chinese apps that were banned by the Government earlier this week are now inaccessible via Google Play store in India. A Google spokesperson confirmed the development to Gadgets 360, saying that the apps have been "temporarily blocked" by the platform in line with the government's order. Popular apps including CamScanner, UC Browser, Mi Community, DU Battery Saver, and so on have been removed from Google Play. Other popular apps, such as TikTok and SHAREit completely went offline on their own earlier this week and stated that they are "complying with the Government of India's directive." Apple App Store has also removed pretty much all of 59 Chinese apps; however, we were still able to spot at least one app still accessible in India.

On Monday, the Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) announced that 59 China-origin apps were to be blocked as they posed a risk to country's security and were prejudicial to the India's sovereignty and integrity. The following day, Gadget 360 assessed the MeitY's order to Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and telecom operators in India to block access to 59 apps "under the emergency clause 69A of the IT Act 2000." The order was sent through the Data Services (DS) Cell of the Department of Telecom (DoT).

A person familiar with the matter further told Gadgets 360 that the blockage would come in place by all ISPs and telcos later by Wednesday.

A Google spokesperson speaking more about the order told Gadget 360 on Wednesday: "While we continue to review the interim orders from the Government of India, we have notified the affected developers and have temporarily blocked access to the apps that remained available on the Play Store in India."

Gadgets 360 has also reached out to Apple for more details about the matter. Meanwhile, most apps have also been removed from App Store. Users may still find some of the China-origin apps such as Clash of Kings on the App Store, but they will also likely be removed and blocked by ISPs and telco operators by later today.

The full list of the 59 banned Chinese apps can be found in our earlier report.

Meanwhile, the 'Lite' versions of the several banned apps such as Likee and Bigo Live are still available on the app stores in the country and quickly rising in top charts.

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