Move to ban Chinese apps to put India's two-decade-old cyber laws to test

Experts say the absence of a dedicated data privacy and security law limits govt's legal options

The government’s move to block 59 Chinese mobile apps will put to test the provisions of the two-decade-old, overarching statute — the Information Technology Act, 2000 — in safeguarding the country’s data security and privacy concerns.      

Section 69A of the Act empowers the central government to block access to information on the internet that is considered prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of the country. However, the legal basis of the move — and whether it could withstand judicial scrutiny — is still being debated. Some experts feel the absence of a dedicated data privacy and security law limits