Why were Chinese apps banned in India?

In a big move, India banned at least 59 Chinese mobile apps, including widely used TikTok, Shareit, WeChat, UC Browser among others. This is one of the first big action that hits Chinese business interests in India. So, why were these apps banned? The Ministry of Information Technology cited cybersecurity concerns in blocking the Chinese apps from one of the largest and fastest-growing markets in the world. As per senior government officials, the ban was imposed as the apps were being used to harm India’s defences. The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, Ministry of Home Affairs has also sent an exhaustive recommendation for blocking of these malicious apps. This decision has been taken in a bid to safeguard the sovereignty, integrity, defence, security of state and public order in India. Banning 59 Chinese mobile apps is both a statement of intent and a strong signal. This may not hurt India given the alternatives in the app space but for China, the Indian app market is growing and valuable.