China raises apps ban issue during meeting, India says action taken due to security reasons

Days after India banned 59 Chinese mobile apps, China raised the issue during a bilateral meeting with New Delhi held recently.

"During a meeting at the diplomatic level, the Chinese side raised the issue of ban on its mobile applications in India," government sources told ANI.

The Indian side made it very clear to the Chinese that the action was taken in view of the security issues and it did not want the data-related to its citizens to be compromised, sources said.

India had recently banned 59 Chinese mobile applications including the widely-used social media platforms such as TikTok, WeChat, and Helo within view of the threat to the nation's sovereignty and security.

The majority of the apps banned in the June 29 order were red-flagged by intelligence agencies over concerns that they were collecting user data and possibly also sending them "outside".

The government had stated that the applications are engaged in activities "prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of state and public order."

The ban has been imposed under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act read with relevant provisions of the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking of Access of Information by Public) Rules 2009.

After the ban, the Chinese foreign ministry had reacted to the ban saying that it was India's duty to protect the legal rights of international investors. 

-ANI

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