India bans TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps citing security concerns

India is banning 59 apps with Chinese links, saying their activities endanger the country’s sovereignty, defense and security. India’s decision comes as its troops are in a tense standoff with Chinese soldiers in eastern Ladakh in the Himalayas that started last month. — AP

India banned ByteDance Ltd’s viral short video service TikTok and 58 other Chinese apps, citing threats to its sovereignty and security as relations between the world’s two largest populations worsened.

The unprecedented moratorium, announced days after escalating border tensions in the Himalayas left 20 Indian soldiers dead, deals a blow to the most prominent names in Chinese technology. The banned services included e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd’s UC Web, social media leader Tencent Holdings Ltd’s WeChat and Baidu Inc’s map and translation platforms.