New Delhi: Speculation is rife on social media about the potential return of the popular Chinese short-video app TikTok to Indian shores, five years after it was banned amid escalating border tensions with China.
The buzz gained momentum when the Congress took to X (formerly Twitter) to question Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s alleged “China love,” linking it to reports of TikTok’s website becoming accessible again in the country.
The controversy erupted as users noticed that TikTok’s official website appeared to be operational in India, prompting the Opposition to accuse the Union government of softening its stance towards Beijing.
In a scathing post, Congress highlighted the sacrifice of 20 Indian soldiers in a 2020 clash with Chinese forces along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). “Our 20 brave soldiers were martyred in the skirmish with China. First, Narendra Modi gave China a clean chit. But when Congress mounted pressure, he banned TikTok just to manage headlines,” the post read. It further alleged that with Modi recently meeting China’s Foreign Minister and planning a visit to the neighbouring country, the timing of TikTok’s apparent revival reeks of a “deal” that prioritises personal ties over national interests. “Clearly, Narendra Modi’s love for China outweighs his love for the country. Just like the ceasefire with Pakistan, a bargain has been struck with China at the cost of our martyrs,” the party claimed.
TikTok, owned by Chinese tech giant ByteDance, was among over 50 Chinese apps —including e-commerce platform Ali Express —banned by the Indian government in June 2020. The move came under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, citing grave concerns over data security, user privacy, and threats to India’s sovereignty, integrity, defence, and public order. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) had then described these apps as “prejudicial” to national security, especially in the wake of heightened Indo-China border frictions.
Despite the swirling rumours, there has been no official confirmation from either the Indian government or ByteDance regarding any lifting of the ban. In fact, some media reports, quoting unnamed sources, suggest the Centre has categorically denied any such plans. A senior official reportedly told Moneycontrol that the app remains blocked, with no steps taken to unblock it since the 2020 prohibition. “The Centre has not unblocked this app, which was originally removed under Section 69A of the IT Act in 2020,” the official was quoted as saying.
The ban on TikTok had dealt a massive blow to India’s burgeoning creator economy, displacing millions of users and content creators who flocked to homegrown alternatives like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. At its peak, TikTok boasted over 200 million users in India, making it one of the app’s largest markets globally. The prohibition not only reflected geopolitical strains but also underscored India’s push towards digital self-reliance under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
As debates rage online, experts point out that any reversal would require rigorous compliance with India’s stringent data localisation norms and privacy laws. For now, the government maintains silence, leaving netizens and political watchers to speculate whether this is a genuine thaw in relations or just another storm in the digital teacup.
The Congress’ pointed attack has reignited discussions on national security versus economic ties with China, especially as bilateral engagements pick up pace. With no concrete announcements on the horizon, the fate of TikTok in India hangs in the balance, serving as a litmus test for the Modi administration’s foreign policy balancing act.
Comments are closed.