MEA touts openness, scale of India's Internet market; invites FDI with compliance reminder

Two days after the Central Government banned 59 Chinese applications on grounds of unauthorised transmission of data, India said that internet technology companies operating in the country have to abide by the rules issued by the concerned ministries including those pertaining to data security and privacy of users.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said in his weekly virtual briefing that India is one of the most open regimes in the world for attracting Foreign Direct Investments (FDI). In the last few years, the government has taken a host of measures for creating a more investor-friendly regime especially in the field of digital technology and the internet. 

Presently, India is one of the world's largest markets for digital internet technologies with more than 680 million subscribers. The world's largest software and Internet application companies have been established in the country, he said.

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'Banned apps engaged in prejudicial activities'

Responding to queries regarding the Government’s ban on 59 Chinese mobile apps including TikTok, UC Browser, Helo and WeChat, Srivastava said that the companies were found to be engaged in activities which are “prejudicial to sovereignty, integrity and defence” of the country.

"While operating in India, one has to abide by our rules and regulations issued by relevant ministries and departments, including those pertaining to data security and privacy of individual data," the MEA Spokesperson said.

He further said that India continues to welcome foreign investments including in the field of internet technologies but the companies must abide by the rules established by the government.

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India bans 59 apps linked to China

Causing a major blow to China’s Digital Silk Route ambitions, the Government of India banned 59 Chinese Apps including TikTok, WeChat, and UC Browser. 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 that have locations outside India.

Hence, in a move to protect the sovereignty of Indian Cyberspace and to ensure the interests of crores of Indian mobile users. The move came amid the ongoing India-China standoff at the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

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List of banned apps

1. TikTok

2. Shareit

3. Kwai

4. UC Browser

5. Baidu map 

6. Shein 

7. Clash of Kings 

8. DU battery saver 

9. Helo 

10. Likee

11. YouCam makeup 

12. Mi Community 

13. CM Browers 

14. Virus Cleaner 

15. APUS Browser 

16. ROMWE 

17. Club Factory 

18. Newsdog 

19. Beutry Plus 

20. WeChat 

21. UC News 

22. QQ Mail 

23. Weibo 

24. Xender 

25. QQ Music 

26. QQ Newsfeed 

27. Bigo Live 

28. SelfieCity 

29. Mail Master 

30. Parallel Space

31. Mi Video Call – Xiaomi 

32. WeSync 

33. ES File Explorer 

34. Viva Video – QU Video Inc 

35. Meitu 

36. Vigo Video 

37. New Video Status 

38. DU Recorder 

39. Vault- Hide 

40. Cache Cleaner DU App studio 

41. DU Cleaner 

42. DU Browser 

43. Hago Play With New Friends 

44. Cam Scanner 

45. Clean Master – Cheetah Mobile 

46. Wonder Camera 

47. Photo Wonder 

48. QQ Player 

49. We Meet 

50. Sweet Selfie 

51. Baidu Translate 

52. Vmate 

53. QQ International 

54. QQ Security Center 

55. QQ Launcher 

56. U Video 

57. V fly Status Video 

58. Mobile Legends 

59. DU Privacy

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(Image credits: PTI)