The Indian government has clarified that TikTok remains banned in India, dismissing media reports that suggested the Chinese-owned short-video platform was making a comeback.
Speculation about TikTok’s return surfaced on Friday after some users reported being able to access the TikTok website on desktop browsers without a VPN. This sparked a wave of media reports claiming the app might have been unblocked.
However, government sources quickly issued a statement denying the reports. “The Government of India has not issued any unblocking order for TikTok. Any such statement or news is false and misleading,” officials said.
Why TikTok Was Banned
TikTok was among 59 Chinese-linked apps banned in June 2020, following violent clashes between Indian and Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley, Ladakh. The apps were blocked under Section 69A of the IT Act due to national security concerns. Later, more apps — including PUBG Mobile — were also banned.
At the time, TikTok maintained that it had never shared Indian user data with any foreign government, including China, and that it was in talks with Indian authorities to clarify its position. Despite repeated appeals, the platform has remained inaccessible for more than five years.
What Triggered Friday’s Rumors?
According to industry sources, the brief accessibility of TikTok in India was caused by a network-level misconfiguration, not by a government order. A similar incident occurred in September 2022, when some ISPs unintentionally restored access to TikTok and other blocked sites during a system update.
TikTok Confirms Ban Still Stands
A TikTok spokesperson told , “We have not restored access to TikTok in India and continue to comply with the Government of India’s directive.”
A senior IT Ministry official also confirmed that the government has not revoked or modified the 2020 ban.
For now, TikTok remains unavailable in India, despite brief glitches that sparked speculation of its return.
Voices from the past
When TikTok was banned in 2020, it had already become a cultural phenomenon in India. Millions of users, especially young influencers, had built audiences and careers on the app. For them, the ban came as a sudden shock.
“For many young creators, TikTok was more than just an app — it gave them instant reach, recognition, and even careers. The sudden ban felt like a loss. But even then, most agreed that nothing is greater than the nation’s security. If sacrificing TikTok was necessary for India’s safety, The sacrifice is worth it.” said a sentiment widely shared by users at the time.
For now, TikTok remains blocked, and India’s official stance on Chinese apps remains unchanged.
