TikTok Ban: Why India Banned TikTok and Other Chinese Apps five years ago

TikTok, the widely popular short-video app, was on the verge of being shut down in the United States following a U.S. Supreme Court order issued on January 19, 2025. The order mandated that TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance, sell the app or face a permanent ban on national security grounds. However, former President Donald Trump has stepped in, granting TikTok additional time to find an approved buyer before the ban takes effect.

This is not the first time TikTok has faced such challenges. In June 2020, the Government of India banned TikTok alongside 58 other Chinese apps, citing national security concerns. The banned apps included popular platforms such as Shareit, Mi Video Call, Club Factory, and Cam Scanner. This action was a response to escalating border tensions between India and China.

India's Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) justified the ban by stating that these apps were involved in activities that threatened the sovereignty and integrity of India, as well as the defense, security, and public order of the nation. The Ministry highlighted numerous complaints regarding the misuse of mobile apps, which were allegedly stealing and transmitting user data to servers located outside India without authorization. Furthermore, it was claimed that these apps, including TikTok, were involved in data mining and profiling activities by entities hostile to India’s national security and defense.

The bans in both the U.S. and India underscore the increasing global scrutiny on Chinese tech companies amid rising concerns over data security and national sovereignty.

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