The Indian government has confirmed that TikTok will not be allowed to return to India, effectively ending any speculation about its potential re-entry into the market. This decision comes in response to recent reports on social media suggesting a possible comeback for the Chinese app.
Before being banned, TikTok had a massive presence in India, with over 200 million active users. India was the largest market for TikTok downloads globally. The app’s popularity was soaring in India until the ban in 2020. The government banned the app due to national security and data privacy concerns.
The ban on TikTok, along with 58 other Chinese apps, was implemented in June 2020. The government made this decision in the interest of national security and user data privacy. The government was concerned that these apps were sending Indian user data to servers located outside of India, posing a risk to national security.
Rumors of TikTok’s return were fueled by reports suggesting a potential partnership with an Indian company. Some reports claimed that ByteDance, the app’s developer, had explored a return strategy. However, the government has now officially stated that TikTok’s return to India is not a possibility.
Following TikTok’s ban, several domestic short video platforms gained traction in India, including Moj, Josh, Chingari, and Roposo. These apps offered a user experience similar to TikTok and quickly gained popularity, attracting millions of users.