Major Taiwanese news network Liberty Times Network (LTN) recently reported that India has ordered the blockade of 232 apps and websites, most of them linked to China. This underscores tensions between the two countries after years of border clashes. According to a source familiar with the matter, the Indian Federal Technology Ministry has ordered the removal of 138 betting and gambling apps and 94 credit services. The order came from the Interior Ministry, which oversees domestic affairs including national security. The source asked not to be identified because the full content of the order has not been made public. The blocked apps, including several from India, are suspected of transferring data to China. India’s central bank has also tightened digital lending regulations after finding some apps allegedly breached norms and harassed customers. Indian domestic laws allow the government to block public access to content for reasons such as national security interests. Last year, India banned multiple Chinese applications such as Alibaba and Tencent’s WeChat. India also banned the use of Tik Tok. In the meantime, India is also moving to restrict Chinese companies in other areas and is considering restricting Chinese cell phone makers from selling devices below 12,000 Rupees, a blow to a number of brands, including Xiaomi.
Source: LTN, February 8, 2023
https://ec.ltn.com.tw/article/breakingnews/4204452