Back to square one

Banning Chinese apps has proved to be ineffective

Over a year after the government started to crack down on Chinese apps for engaging in activities “prejudicial to the sovereignty, integrity, and security of India”, apps of Chinese origin continue to hold significant mind space and market share across India’s mobile internet. Indeed, many of these have gained market share since the ban. These apps have used a mix of holding companies outside Mainland China, and of rebranding, to maintain and/or re-establish a presence. Between April and November 2020, the Indian government banned as many as 267 apps of Chinese origin, including apps of giants such as Alibaba, Bytedance,