Beware! Indian intel agencies want to ban these 53 Chinese apps

The temperature between India and China is running high post the Galwan valley clash. Amidst all the tension, Indian intelligence agencies have compiled a list of Chinese apps that they believe to be a potential threat for security. The list includes some of the most popular apps in India including video-sharing app TikTok, news app UC News, file transfer app Xender, Camera app Youcam, Xiaomi’s Mi store, and many more.

The National Security Council has also backed the claims made by intelligence agencies against the 53 listed apps. The principal government body also felt that these apps could be detrimental to India’s security. Currently, the National Security Council is examining the risks attached to each of these apps.

Here’s the complete list of apps that Indian intelligence agencies have asked the government to block in India:

1. TikTok
2. Vault-Hide
3. Vigo Video
4. Bigo Live
5. Weibo
6. WeChat
7. SHAREit
8. UC News
9. UC Browser
10. BeautyPlus
11. Xender
12. ClubFactory
13. Helo
14. LIKE
15. Kwai
16. ROMWE
17. SHEIN
18. NewsDog
19. Photo Wonder
20. APUS Browser
21. VivaVideo
22. QU Video Inc
23. Perfect Corp
24. CM Browser
25. Virus Cleaner (Hi Security Lab)
26. Mi Community
27. DU recorder
28. YouCam Makeup
29. Mi Store
30. 360 Security
31. DU Battery Saver
32. DU Browser
33. DU Cleaner
34. DU Privacy
35. Clean Master – Cheetah
36. CacheClear DU apps studio
37. Baidu Translate
38. Baidu Map
39. Wonder Camera
40. ES File Explorer
41. QQ International
42. QQ Launcher
43. QQ Security Centre
44. QQ Player
45. QQ Music
46. QQ Mail
47. QQ NewsFeed
48. WeSync
49. SelfieCity
50. Clash of Kings
51. Mail Master
52. Mi Video call
53. Parallel Space

What’s really worrisome is that apps like Mi Store and Mi community come pre-installed on Xiaomi phones which leads India’s smartphone market with approx 30 percent market share. Similarly, UC Browser comes pre-installed on most of the affordable phones across brands which put user data at risk as pointed out by the intelligence agencies.

Likewise, Zoom app, which shot up in popularity during the COVID-19 crisis has been under the radar of security agencies around the world. Germany, Singapore, and Taiwan have already banned their government agencies from using Zoom while the US has asked its Senate member to pick other platforms for video conferencing.

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Chinese hardware and software have been flagged as potential threats by western security agencies from time to time. Various global agencies argue that these Chinese apps could act as trojan interceptors into foreign communication services at times of war and conflict. In this particular case, our national intelligence agencies have raised the same concern.