TikTok Ban in India: Government Clarifies No Order Issued to Unblock App
New Delhi: The Indian government has issued a clarification regarding TikTok, confirming that the Chinese short-video app remains banned in the country. According to an ANI report, officials stated that no order has been issued to lift the ban on TikTok, dismissing recent claims of the app being unblocked as “misleading and false.”
This clarification comes amid speculation that TikTok, along with other Chinese platforms like AliExpress and Shein, could be making a comeback in India. However, the government has made it clear that the ban still stands.
Currently, users in India can only access the homepage of TikTok’s website, while the mobile application remains completely blocked. Similarly, AliExpress, the e-commerce platform owned by Alibaba, also continues to be banned.
Why TikTok Was Banned in India
TikTok, AliExpress, and 58 other Chinese apps were banned in June 2020 over concerns related to data security, user privacy, and national security. At the time, the government said these apps were “prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India, defense of India, and security of the state.” The decision was taken shortly after rising tensions along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) between India and China.
The Government of India has not issued any unblocking order for TikTok. Any such statement/news is false and misleading: Govt Sources pic.twitter.com/1BxK5jE4xG
— ANI (@ANI) August 22, 2025
The ban had a major impact on TikTok, which had over 200 million active users in India — one of its largest global markets. Since then, the app has remained unavailable in the country.
India-China Relations in Focus
The clarification on TikTok also comes at a time when India-China relations are under renewed diplomatic focus. Earlier this week, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited New Delhi for meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. Both sides stressed the importance of constructive dialogue and strengthening bilateral ties.
Later this month, Prime Minister Modi is expected to visit China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, which observers see as a possible step toward improving relations between the two nations.
