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New Delhi, Jun 30: In a huge blow to popular apps such as TikTok, the Indian government has banned as many as 59 apps that are owned by Chinese companies. The latest announcement comes close on the heels of a rumour of the same, which was termed a hoax by the government. A press release by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has listed 59 apps that will be blocked on internet and non-internet served devices in India, citing reasons that these apps "are engaged in activities prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, the security of state and public order."

Government of India's orders follow the tensions rampant at the Indo-China border after some Indian soldiers were martyred at the Galwan river valley. Ever since the incident, there has been an uproar on social media urging boycott of anything that is related to China, including smartphone brands and apps. While there has been no announcement for the Chinese smartphone brands, the government has immediately blocked as many as 59 apps in India. This means they will not function in India, in addition to their discontinuation on both Google Play Store and App Store at large.

Here are the 59 Chinese apps that have been blocked by the Indian government:

1.            TikTok

2.            Shareit

3.            Kwai

4.            UC Browser

5.            Baidu map

6.            Shein

7.            Clash of Kings

8.            DU battery saver

9.            Helo

10.          Likee

11.          YouCam makeup

12.          Mi Community

13.          CM Brower

14.          Virus Cleaner

15.          APUS Browser

16.          ROMWE

17.          Club Factory

18.          Newsdog

19.          Beauty Plus

20.          WeChat

21.          UC News

22.          QQ Mail

23.          Weibo

24.          Xender

25.          QQ Music

26.          QQ Newsfeed

27.          Bigo Live

28.          SelfieCity

29.          Mail Master

30.          Parallel Space

31.          Mi Video Call - Xiaomi

32.          WeSync

33.          ES File Explorer

34.          Viva Video - QU Video Inc

35.          Meitu

36.          Vigo Video

37.          New Video Status

38.          DU Recorder

39.          Vault- Hide

40.          Cache Cleaner DU App studio

41.          DU Cleaner

42.          DU Browser

43.          Hago Play With New Friends

44.          Cam Scanner

45.          Clean Master - Cheetah Mobile

46.          Wonder Camera

47.          Photo Wonder

48.          QQ Player

49.          We Meet

50.          Sweet Selfie

51.          Baidu Translate

52.          Vmate

53.          QQ International

54.          QQ Security Center

55.          QQ Launcher

56.          U Video

57.          V fly Status Video

58.          Mobile Legends

59.          DU Privacy

Mumbai, Jul 2: The Shiv Sena on Thursday termed the ban on 59 Chinese apps by the Indian government as a "digital strike" and asked if these apps were a threat to the national security, how did they operate for so many years.

An editorial in Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' sought to know when did the Centre realise these apps were a threat to the national security.

By banning the Chinese apps, Prime Minister Narendra Modi protected the interests of Indian internet users and his courage has be lauded, the Marathi publication said.

India on Monday banned 59 apps with Chinese links, including TikTok, UC Browser, SHAREit and WeChat, saying they were prejudicial to sovereignty, integrity and security of the country.

"If these apps were a threat to national security, how is it that these apps were functioning without any hurdles for so many years. If the opposition says the government neglected national security,then what will the Centre's stand be?" the Shiv Sena asked.

It said questions should be raised on all the previous governments for "allowing national data to go out of the country".

China has expressed displeasure over the Indian government's decision, the Marathi daily said, adding that Chinese soldiers are "still not ready to leave the Galwan Valley (in Ladakh)".

The Sena said it took the sacrifices of 20 soldiers for the government to realise Indian data was being illegally taken out of the country.

"The government took revenge by a digital strike," it stated.

There have been complaints earlier that users' data on Chinese apps was illegally sent out of the country, and apps like TikTok were "promoting vulgarity", it said.

"Many TikTok stars had reportedly joined the BJP," the Sena claimed. "What will happen to them?" it asked.

There is a need to break China economically, but that will not happen by banning its apps. The issue is about trade and investment between the two countries, it said.

"The largest Chinese investment is in Gujarat.

Chinese company Huawei has got the contract to set up 5G network in India. This company having keys to India's digital economy is akin to the Chinese Communist Party owning the Indian economy in future," it said.

Global health experts on Wednesday said novel coronavirus is here to stay for more than a year and called for aggressive testing to prevent its spread.

In an interaction with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, health experts Professor Ashish Jha and Professor Johan Giesecke talked about the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the series being aired on Congress social media channels.

While Jha exuded confidence that a vaccine will be available in a year's time, Prof Giesecke said India should practice a lockdown that is as 'soft' as possible, as a severe lockdown will ruin its economy very quickly.

"When the economy is opened up after lockdown, you have to create confidence among people," Harvard health expert Ashish Jha told Gandhi.

Jha is a professor of Global Health at TH Chan School of Public Health and Director, Harvard Global Health institute.

He said coronavirus is a '12-18 months' problem and the world is not going to be free of this till 2021.

The expert also called for the need for aggressive testing strategy for high-risk areas.

Gandhi, while interacting with the experts, said life is going to change post COVID-19.

"If 9/11 was a new chapter, this will be a new book," he remarked.

Professor Johan Giesecke, former chief scientist, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said India should have a 'soft lockdown'.

"The situation that India is in, I think, you should have a soft lockdown, as soft as possible," he said.

"I think for India, you will ruin your economy very quickly if you have a severe lockdown. It is better, skip the lockdown, take care of the old and the frail...," he noted.