India bans 47 more apps; most are clones of 59 earlier-banned Chinese-origin apps

After India banned 59 apps with Chinese links for engaging in activities which are "prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity" of country last month, sources on Monday said that government has banned 47 more apps. According to sources, se apps are clones of previously banned apps. An official tification regarding ban and list of applications will be released soon, sources added.

Some of  apps banned by Ministryt of Electronics and Information Techlogy include TikTok Lite, Helo Lite, SHAREit Lite, BIGO LIVE Lite and VFY Lite

ban came in backdrop of stand-off along Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh with Chinese troops.  59 apps with Chinese links blocked by government include TikTok, WeChat and UC Browser.

China reacts to India's 'Digital Strike'

Reacting to India's ban of Chinese apps at a Chinese Foreign Ministry briefing, spokesman Zhao Lijian said, China is strongly concerned about relevant tice issued by Indian side. We are checking and verifying situation. "I want to stress that Chinese government always asks Chinese businesses to abide by international rules, local laws and regulations in ir business cooperation with foreign countries," he said.

Following India's move, or countries like Australia and US are also planning to ban Chinese apps because of security threat y possess. 

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had said India's surprise move to ban 59 Chinese apps was a "digital strike." "We banned Chinese apps to protect data of countrymen; it was a digital strike," Prasad said at a BJP rally in West Bengal, news ncy Press Trust of India reported.

'Immediate concern which requires emergency measures'

Information Techlogy 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".

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" compilation of se data, its mining and profiling by elements hostile to national security and defence of India, which ultimately impinges upon sovereignty and integrity of India, is a matter of very deep and immediate concern which requires emergency measures," statement said.

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(With ncy inputs)