G20 meet: Prasad to share platform with Chinese counterpart first time since apps ban

Union Minister of Communications and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad is set to address the G20 Digital Ministers meeting on Wednesday. The Indian representative is expected to deliver his address at 5:30 pm. This will also be the first time since India banned 59 Chinese mobile apps that Prasad will share a platform with China's Digital minister Miao Wei. 

The Digital Economy Ministers meeting will take place as part of the Sherpa Track for the G20 Leaders Summit 2020, which is to be hosted by Saudi Arabia at the end of 2020. The three key agenda items to be addressed under the theme - Realizing Opportunities of the 21st Century For All - are 'Empowering people by creating conditions in which all people - especially women and youth - can live, work and thrive', 'Safeguarding the Planet, by fostering collective efforts to protect our global commons,' and 'Shaping New Frontiers, by adopting long-term and bold strategies to share benefits of innovation and technological advancement."

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India bans 59 Chinese mobile apps 

On June 29, the Indian Home Ministry banned 59 Chinese Apps including TikTok. The Centre stated that it has received many complaints from various sources including several reports about the misuse of these apps for stealing and surreptitiously transmitting users’ data in an unauthorized manner to servers which have locations outside India. 

As per sources, the IT Ministry on Tuesday also wrote to the banned 59 Chinese App companies to ensure strict compliance of its order and warned of serious action in case of any violation. It has been clearly communicated that the continued availability and operation of these Apps, directly or indirectly, is illegal. The Centre warned that it would also constitute an offence under the Information Technology Act and other applicable Acts, which shall attract penal provisions. 

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