American political scientist Edward Luttwak said that Chinese Communist Party leaders laughed off the threat of economic retaliation by India for the Ladakh attack. However, TikTok, the most profitable app banned by New Delhi, now estimates its losses at USD 6 billion.

  • India's decision to ban Chinese apps seems to be an effective way to impose costs on China for its actions at the border and inhibit its ability to exert influence and access information inside the country, a well-known American expert on South Asia has said.
  • India on Monday banned 59 apps with Chinese links, including the hugely popular TikTok and UC Browser, for engaging in "activities which are prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, the security of the state and public order".
  • The ban also comes in the backdrop of the current stand-off along the Line of Actual control in eastern Ladakh with Chinese troops.
  • "I think the Indian government was looking for ways to respond to Chinese provocations at the LAC (Line of Actual Control) and they settled on hitting China in the technology sector, where there were already mounting concerns about Chinese espionage and national security threats," Jeff Smith, South Asia Research Fellow at the prestigious Heritage Institute think-tank said.

India Not To Import Power Equipment From China: RK Singh

  • Power minister RK Singh on Friday said that India will import power equipment from China, amid border standoff with China.
  • During a virtual press conference with state counterparts, he also asserted that the equipment import from China and Pakistan would not be permitted especially on the basis of inspection.
  • He further said state discoms should not give orders for supply of equipment to Chinese firms.
  • "We manufacture everything here. India imported Rs 71,000 crore worth power equipment including Rs 21,000 crore from China," Singh said in the state energy ministers conference chaired by him this morning in his opening remarks.

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