Government Dismisses TikTok’s India Return: Minister Confirms Ban Remains

Amidst speculation about TikTok’s potential return to the Indian market, the government, through IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, has affirmed its stance. Vaishnaw confirmed that the ban on the Chinese short-video platform remains in place, and there are no current plans to reverse this decision. The minister’s statement comes in response to discussions surrounding ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, and its possible preparations for a comeback. Speaking to Moneycontrol, Vaishnaw clarified that no formal proposals or discussions have taken place regarding this issue. The rumors gained momentum following a brief period when TikTok’s website was accessible on some Indian networks, including Airtel and Vodafone. This technical hiccup prompted social media users to discuss the possibility of the app’s revival, however, officials have since dismissed these claims. The initial ban on TikTok was implemented in June 2020, with the Indian government blocking 59 Chinese apps due to national security and data privacy concerns. The ban led to the removal of the app from the Apple and Google app stores, and was later made permanent in January 2021. At the time of the ban, India boasted TikTok’s largest user base, with over 200 million users actively using the platform. Prior to the ban, Chinese investors had heavily invested in Indian startups across various sectors, including e-commerce, fintech, and edtech.