The Indian government has made it clear that TikTok will not be allowed to return to India. This announcement puts to rest any speculation about the Chinese app’s potential re-entry into the Indian market, which had been fueled by recent social media reports.
Before the ban, TikTok had a very large user base in India, with over 200 million active users. India was the country with the highest number of TikTok downloads worldwide. TikTok’s popularity was rapidly increasing in India until the ban in 2020. The government decided to ban the app due to national security and data privacy concerns.
The Indian government banned TikTok, along with 58 other Chinese apps, in June 2020. This decision was made to protect the country’s security and privacy. The government stated that these apps were sending Indian user data to servers outside of India, which could compromise national security.
Rumors of TikTok’s potential return emerged from reports suggesting a partnership with an Indian company. Some reports claimed that ByteDance, the app’s developer, had been planning to relaunch in India. However, the government has now officially confirmed that TikTok’s return is not possible.
After the ban on TikTok, several Indian short video platforms became popular, including Moj, Josh, Chingari, and Roposo. These apps offered users a similar experience to TikTok, and they attracted millions of users.