China-India relations hit a low point in mid-2020 during a border clash. Two years later, India’s government banned more than 500 China-based apps from the country, citing national security and data privacy risks. But in February, the countries’ foreign ministers met for talks, and now, some banned apps are again available for download in India’s app stores.

India’s digital ecosystem did not miss a beat following the bans

It’s difficult to estimate how many Chinese apps were operating in India at the time of the bans. Some of the prohibited services were well-known globally, including short-video apps TikTok and Kwai (also known as Kuaishou), AliExpress, Shein, WeChat, gaming app PUBG Mobile, Baidu, and UC Browser. But despite some public disappointment with the bans, time spent with digital media in India has climbed steadily since 2020, per our forecast.