Indian Government Adds Another 43 Chinese Apps on the Blocklist

• Another 43 Chinese apps have been added to India’s blocklist, citing reasons of national security.
• Among the entries of the new set, the AliExpress shopping and suppliers app stand out.
• The relations between India and China are still in a negative state, with military and political tensions on the rise.

A new wave of Chinese app bans has been announced by the Indian Ministry of Electronics and IT, adding 43 apps that will no longer be available on India’s mobile stores. This follows the banning of 118 apps in September 2020, another 47 apps in July 2020, and 59 apps in June 2020. So, we now reach a total of 267 apps, and it’s certainly not going to stay at that figure considering the status of the relations between the two countries.

The latest additions on the blocklist are the following:

• AliSuppliers Mobile App
• Alibaba Workbench
• AliExpress – Smarter Shopping, Better Living
• Alipay Cashier
• Lalamove India – Delivery App
• Drive with Lalamove India
• Snack Video
• CamCard – Business Card Reader
• CamCard – BCR (Western)
• Soul - Follow the soul to find you
• Chinese Social – Free Online Dating Video App & Chat
• Date in Asia – Dating & Chat For Asian Singles
• WeDate – Dating App
• Free dating app – Singol, start your date!
• Adore App
• TrulyChinese – Chinese Dating App
• TrulyAsian – Asian Dating App
• ChinaLove: dating app for Chinese singles
• DateMyAge: Chat, Meet, Date Mature Singles Online
• AsianDate: find Asian singles
• FlirtWish: chat with singles
• Guys Only Dating: Gay Chat
• Tubit: Live Streams
• WeWorkChina
• First Love Live - super hot live beauties live online
• Rela – Lesbian Social Network
• Cashier Wallet
• MangoTV
• MGTV – HunanTV official TV APP
• WeTV – TV version
• WeTV – Cdrama, Kdrama&More
• WeTV Lite
• Lucky Live – Live Video Streaming App
• Taobao Live
• DingTalk
• Identity V
• Isoland 2: Ashes of Time
• BoxStar (Early Access)
• Heroes Evolved
• Happy Fish
• Jellipop Match-Decorate your dream island！
• Munchkin Match: magic home building
• Conquista Online II

The reason for banning the above is again the belief that they are sending sensitive user data outside India and to Chinese servers. This constitutes a national risk for India and a security and privacy problem for the users themselves. In general, the two countries remain in highly tensioned relations, and they aren’t going through the best of times.

Most of the apps that have been banned this time are quite niche, although, in the massive Indian market, they still have a respectable userbase. Many of them may attempt to return to India via another name and a different developer account, but this trick may just get them going until the next wave of bans.

The “highlight” app ban is definitely the AliExpress shopping app, delivering a significant blow to the popular online retail service which belongs to Alibaba Group. There is also the app for suppliers of Alibaba and the Workbench and the Alipay apps in the same set, so all business ties between India-based sellers and the Chinese retail giant are abruptly cut.