New Chinese App Ban in India List: India to ban 54 Chinese Apps citing security threat

Chinese App Ban in India list: The Indian Government will ban 54 more Chinese apps that pose a threat to India's security. This was informed by the ministry of electronics and information on February 14, 2022. 

The ministry said in a statement that these 54 apps allegedly obtain various critical permissions and collect sensitive user data, which is being misused and transmitted to servers located in China.

This will enable the apps to compile huge personal data to mine, collate, analyse and profile by the elements who are hostile to the sovereignty and integrity of India and for activities detrimental to national security, the IT ministry added. 

The new Chinese app ban in India list includes apps like Beauty Camera, Dual Space Lite, Viva Video, Garena Free Fire, Sweet Selfie HD,  Tencent Xriver, Isoland 2: Ashes of Time Lite, Equalizer & Bass Booster and AppLock.

The 54 Chinese apps include Beauty Camera: Sweet Selfie HD, Beauty Camera - Selfie Camera, Equalizer & Bass Booster, CamCard for SalesForce Ent, Isoland 2: Ashes of Time Lite, Viva Video Editor, Tencent Xriver, Onmyoji Chess, Onmyoji Arena, AppLock, Dual Space Lite.

— ANI (@ANI) February 14, 2022

Read more: India bans TikTok, Cam Scanner, WeChat and other Chinese apps

Full list of banned Chinese apps 

•  Beauty Camera: Sweet Selfie HD

•  Beauty Camera - Selfie Camera

•  Equalizer & Bass Booster – Music Volume EQ

Equalizer – Bass Booster & Volume EQ & Virtualizer

Equalizer & Bass Booster – Music Volume EQ

Equalizer Pro – Volume Booster & Bass Booster

•  CamCard for SalesForce Ent

•  Isoland 2: Ashes of Time Lite

•  Viva Video Editor

•  Garena Free Fire – Illuminate

•  Tencent Xriver

•  Onmyoji Chess

•  Onmyoji Arena

•  AppLock

•  Dual Space Lite – Multiple Accounts & Clone App

•  Dual Space Pro – Multiple Accounts & App Cloner

•  DualSpace Lite – 32Bit Support

•  Dual Space – 32Bit Support

•  Dual Space – 64Bit Support

•  Dual Space Pro – 32Bit Support

•  Music Player- Music.Mp3 Player

•  Music Plus – MP3 Player

•  Video Player Media All Format

•  Music Player – Equalizer & MP3

•  Volume Booster – Loud Speaker & Sound Booster

•  Music Player – MP3 Player

•  MP3 Cutter – Ringtone Maker & Audio Cutter

•  Rise of Kingdoms: Lost Crusade

•  IS/APUS Security HD (Pad Version)

•  Parallel Space Lite 32 Support

•  18 Nice video baidu

•  Conquer Online – MMORPG Game

•  Conquer Online Il

•  Live Weather & Radar – Alerts

•  Notes- Color Notepad, Notebook

•  Voice Recorder & Voice Changer

•  Barcode Scanner – QR Code Scan

•  Lica Cam – selfie camera app

•  CuteU Pro

•  CuteU: Match With The World

•  FancvU – Video Chat & Meetup

•  Real: Go Live. Make Friends

•  Real Lite -video to live!

•  MoonChat: Enjoy Video Chats

•  FunChat Meet People Around You

•  Wink: Connect Now

•  EVE Echoes

•  Astracraft

•  UU Game Booster-network solution for high ping

•  Extraordinary Ones

•  Badlanders

•  Stick Fight: The Game Mobile

•  Twilight Pioneers

•  Small World-Enjoy groupchat and video chat

•  FancyU pro – Instant Meetup through Video chat!

Why have the new Chinese apps been banned?

The Electronics and Information Technology Ministry informed that it had received a request from the Home Affairs Ministry to block the 54 apps under the emergency provision envisaged in Section 69(A) of the IT Act. As per the Ministry, these apps are either a cloned version or have similar functionality, privacy issues and security threats as the previously blocked 267 apps in 2020.

India bans TikTok, WeChat, Cam Scanner and other Chinese Apps

India had banned 59 Chinese mobile apps including the popular TikTok, Cam Scanner, WeChat citing a threat to national sovereignty and security on June 29, 2020. The apps were banned under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act. This was followed by a ban on 47 related and cloning apps on August 10, 2020.

The centre later blocked 118 Chinese mobile apps on September 1, 2020 stating that they are "prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India. India banned another 43 apps on November 19, 2020. 

The action was prompted after 20 Indian soldiers martyred in the violent clash between India and China in Galwan valley in Eastern Ladakh amid border tensions.

China has opposed India's decision to continue the ban on Chinese mobile apps saying that the move violates the World Trade Organisation's non-discriminatory principles.