The Indian government banned 43 mobile apps including e-commerce app Aliexpress in a fresh round of sanctions as China and India continue to see tensions stemming from a dispute at their borders.
Reuters reported, the apps were mainly from China and a few were for dating, all of which threaten the “sovereignty and integrity of India” the country’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said in a statement.
India already banned 170 apps also claiming they were national threats to security. Apps already banned included TikTok and WeChat, with the bans beginning after skirmishes between Chinese and Indian military occurred in June, resulting in 20 Indian soldiers killed, Reuters reported. The Chinese embassy in India said it “resolutely” opposed the ban.
The Indian government had also initiated a debate on how far it will limit trade relations with China. Chinese smartphone manufacturers are ingrained in India, with Xiaomi, Vivo, Realme, and Oppo among the top five highest selling smartphone vendors in Q3 2020. According to Counterpoint Research.
An Indian developed app called Remove China Apps, designed to identify Chinese developed software was banned from the Google Play Store, for violating policies, after garnering over five million downloads between May and June.
