India Confirms TikTok Ban Will Stay, Says IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw
India has ruled out lifting the TikTok ban, with IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw clarifying that no proposal is under government consideration.
The Indian government has put an end to speculation about TikTok’s possible return, making it clear that the popular Chinese short-video platform will remain banned in the country.
Union Minister for IT, Information and Broadcasting, and Railways, Ashwini Vaishnaw, stated in an interview with Moneycontrol that the matter is not even being discussed at any level within the government. “There is absolutely no proposal which has come from any quarters,” the minister emphasized, addressing rumours that TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, was preparing for a re-entry.
Social Media Buzz Over Temporary Access
The speculation around TikTok’s comeback intensified last month when its website briefly became accessible on some broadband and mobile networks, including Airtel and Vodafone. The glitch sparked chatter online about a potential relaunch. However, officials have now confirmed that there is no truth to those assumptions.
TikTok’s Journey in India
TikTok was first banned in June 2020, alongside 59 other Chinese apps, after the Centre cited national security and data privacy concerns. Following the directive, Apple and Google removed the app from their platforms. In January 2021, the restriction was made permanent.
India had been TikTok’s largest market, with more than 200 million users actively creating and consuming short videos. Alongside TikTok, other ByteDance products such as Helo and CapCut were also barred. Later, the company’s music streaming app Resso was pulled down after being delisted from both the Google Play Store and Apple’s App Store.
Impact on Chinese Investment
When asked about the future of Chinese investors in the Indian tech space, Vaishnaw stressed that the government would adopt a transparent approach. “We will see as it happens. Policies will be clearly shared with everybody. We are a very transparent country,” he said.
Before restrictions tightened, major Chinese investors like Tencent, Alibaba, Ant Financial, and Shunwei Capital were among the biggest backers of Indian startups, pouring billions into sectors ranging from e-commerce and food delivery to fintech and edtech.
However, in April 2020, the Centre introduced stricter rules for foreign direct investment (FDI) through Press Note 3. This policy mandated prior government approval for investors from countries sharing a land border with India, effectively curbing Chinese funding. As a result, several Indian startups were compelled to dilute Chinese stakes or look for alternate sources of capital.
Final Word
With the government’s latest stance, it is now clear that TikTok’s return is not on the cards, at least for the foreseeable future. India remains firm on its digital sovereignty and data privacy policies, signaling that national security continues to be prioritized over popular demand.
