The image of TikTok in India Photo: IC

Amid rising tensions with China, India on Monday abruptly banned 59 Chinese apps including TikTok, QQ Mail and UC Browser, claiming that they were "prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defense of India, security of state and public order," Indian Ministry of Information Technology said.

"There have been raging concerns on aspects relating to data security and safeguarding the privacy of 130 crore Indians. It has been noted recently that such concerns also pose a threat to sovereignty and security of our country," reads a notice posted on the ministry's official website.

The sudden move comes as tensions between the two countries have been escalating recently after Indian troops crossed the border with China to conduct illegal activities and launched provocative attacks against Chinese personnel, causing a deadly clash between China and India's border defense troops in the Galwan Valley on June 15.

Since then, ultra-nationalism appears to have taken over India, where calls for boycotting Chinese products and footage of Indian citizens destroying a Chinese-made TV set have been spread widely on social media. 

Among the  59 banned apps is China's Twitter like social media platform Weibo on which Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a verified account and has more than 240,000 followers.

List of 59 mobile apps banned by Indian government Photo: Website screenshot of India's Press Information Bureau