New Delhi: The Union government is set to block 119 apps, most of which are video and voice chat platforms linked to developers from China and Hong Kong, as per data from the Lumen Database, a Harvard-run site that tracks government requests for content removal.

So far, only 15 of these apps have been restricted in India, while the remaining ones are still available for download, sources said.

Some of the affected apps also come from countries like Singapore, US, UK, and Australia. The banned apps include ChillChat, ChangApp, and HoneyCam.

The apps are being blocked under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, which allows the government to restrict access to online content for reasons related to national security, sovereignty, or public order. In the past, this law has been used to ban several Chinese apps, especially after tensions between India and China escalated.

Three app developers impacted by this move said that Google had informed them about the blocking order. They expressed a willingness to cooperate with Indian authorities to address the issue.

Google’s disclosure on the Lumen Database, which revealed details about the blocking orders, was published on February 18 but has since been removed. It remains unclear whether the delay in banning the remaining apps is due to technical or procedural reasons.

A government official, when asked for details, declined to comment, stating that orders under Section 69A are confidential.

Some app developers have raised concerns over the lack of transparency regarding the exact reasons behind the ban.