Government Shoots Down TikTok Return Speculation, Confirms Chinese App Ban Still Stands

The government has reportedly denied revoking ban on TikTok and AliExpress after some users in India reported being able to access the websites of Chinese platforms on certain telecom networks on Friday (22 August).

According to a CNBC-TV18 report, senior government officials have confirmed that there has been no change in stance on allowing these platforms.

“The Government of India has not issued any unblocking order for TikTok. Any such statement/news is false and misleading,” government sources were quoted as saying by CNBC-TV18.

They also confirmed that no applications have been received from TikTok or other banned apps seeking to overturn the restrictions.

Authorities reiterated that the ban orders issued in 2020 were neither interim nor time-bound and continue to remain in effect.

The brief accessibility of TikTok’s website led to speculation about a phased return.

Users reported that only the homepage was loading, and in some cases only on specific networks. The app itself remains unavailable in India.

The ban on TikTok and 59 other Chinese apps was first imposed in June 2020, following clashes between Indian and Chinese forces in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley.

At the time, the government had said the apps were engaged in activities “prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of the state, and public order.”

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