Government orders ban on 119 apps on Google Play Store on national security ground; most apps linked to China and HongKong

The government has reportedly issued orders to block 119 mobile apps, primarily video and voice chat platforms linked to Chinese and Hong Kong developers. According to a report in Moneycontrol that quotes a now deleted listing on the Harvard University-operated Lumen Database. The ban comes after the year 2020, when the government implemented similar bans on popular Chinese apps including TikTok and ShareIt, citing national security concerns. On June 20, 2020, the Indian government banned almost 100 Chinese apps. Similar bans on Chinese and China-linked apps followed in 2021 and 2022 as well; but in much smaller numbers.