List of Chinese apps banned in India and their alternatives

The government has recently banned 59 Chinese apps claiming them to be detrimental for India’s sovereignty, integrity and national security. The list includes the widely popular apps like TikTok, WeChat and UC Browser. It has been reported that most of the apps have been violating the terms of usage, thus compromising users’ privacy, a major cyber security threat. PM Narendra Modi spoke of the nationwide call for boycott of Chinese goods. “We will buy local and be vocal for the local and this will help India become stronger,” he said.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information and Technology released a statement, saying that it received an “exhaustive recommendation” from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, the Ministry of Home Affairs. The move comes amid the ongoing call to boycott Chinese products and services from the people after the June 15 clashes. The government also gave a “befitting response” by cancelling the railway contract worth around Rs 471 crore with a Chinese firm. It also asked companies to mention the ‘Country of Origin’ on their products while listing in e-marketplace.

Here is the list of banned apps and their alternatives available in India: