TikTok. Photo: VCG

Chinese expert said India's banning of 59 Chinese apps permanently including TikTok is 'proof of allegiance' to the US, a comment after India's ministry of electronics and information technology issued an updated notice announcing a permanent a ban on video app TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps in June.

Reuters reported on Monday, citing Indian media reports that the government is not satisfied with the response or explanation given by these companies of their position on compliance with privacy and security requirements, as the government released the high-profile notices seven months ago. 

"Hence, the ban for these 59 apps is permanent now," business newspaper Times of India quoted a source familiar with the notices as saying. It said the notices were issued last week.

This is a "proof of allegiance" to US after Biden took office as the US President, and it is also an irrational revenge followed a series of crackdowns carried out last year, Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

India is taking revenge on China, and also set up a bad example for the world to revenge China, and the purpose in one side is to take revenge against China, and on the other hand is to satisfy the needs of interest groups in India, showing a tough attitude toward China, he said. 

The latest move by India came alongside China and India on Sunday holding the ninth round of the Corps Commander Level Meeting, in which both sides agreed to push for an early disengagement of the frontline troops and continue to stabilize and control the border situation, China's defense ministry announced on Monday.

Since June last year, the Indian government has taken a series of crackdown for Chinese apps.

On June 29, India banned  59 Chinese applications including TikTok, WeChat and Weibo.

In September, India banned 118 Chinese mobile phone applications including Baidu Search. Later in in November, India announced to ban 43 Chinese background mobile apps including AliExpress and Dingding.

The ban is set to be implemented in June, Qian said the gap shows that India also observing the reactions of different sides, but, regarding the results of a series of crackdowns carried out last year, there is still a question mark to see if they will be implemented fully.

The Global Times also reported in July last year that Indian app users and online influencers are baffled and hurt by the ban of China's TikTok and WeChat.

Media also reported that several poor-quality copycat apps have since emerged onto the Indian market. 

Zhao Lijian, spokesperson of Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in November that since June, Indian has used the so-called importance of national security as an excuse for four consecutive times to ban mobile applications with Chinese background, and the relevant practices obviously violate market principles and WTO rules. 

Global Times