New Delhi: The government on Friday dismissed reports claiming that the ban on Chinese apps TikTok, AliExpress, and Shein had been lifted. Speculation had surfaced on social media suggesting that users could access the apps’ websites, though with limited functionality and no option for shopping or full usage.

The clarification comes amid renewed attention on Chinese platforms that were banned in 2020 after tensions escalated between India and China. While some apps such as Xender and TanTan reappeared on app stores earlier this year, TikTok—the most popular among them in India—remained unavailable.

Investigations by India Today’s OSINT team found that as of February 10, clone or modified versions of at least 36 banned apps were still accessible on Google Play Store and Apple App Store. However, TikTok has not made an official return, despite its massive following before the ban.

India banned TikTok and 58 other Chinese-owned apps on June 29, 2020, citing data security and espionage concerns. The move came two weeks after the deadly Galwan Valley clash, which left 20 Indian soldiers dead and triggered the most serious border standoff with China in decades.