TikTok India Comeback? Website Goes Live After 5 Years, App Still Banned

The website of TikTok, the Chinese short-video platform, has resurfaced in India after nearly five years, though its mobile application remains unavailable. On Friday, several users reported being able to access TikTok's official website, but the company has yet to issue any clarification regarding its operational status in the country.

TikTok was among the apps banned by the Indian government on June 29, 2020, citing national security concerns. The move came days after the Galwan Valley clash, in which 20 Indian soldiers lost their lives - the deadliest confrontation along the Line of Actual Control in decades. Since then, the app has remained inaccessible across the country.

Neither the Indian government nor ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, has provided an official statement on whether restrictions have been formally lifted. The development, however, comes amid signs of easing tensions between New Delhi and Beijing. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who conveyed a message and invitation from President Xi Jinping for the upcoming SCO Summit in Tianjin.

During the talks, India and China announced measures aimed at fostering a "stable, cooperative and forward-looking" partnership. These steps include resuming border trade, encouraging bilateral investment, restoring direct flight connectivity, and maintaining peace along the frontier.

Meanwhile, TikTok has also faced scrutiny abroad. In the United States, former President Joe Biden signed legislation last April requiring ByteDance to divest its US operations over national security concerns, failing which the platform risks being shut down.

At an event in New Delhi on Thursday, Chinese envoy Xu Feihong criticized Washington's tariff policies, which also target India. "The United States imposed tariffs of up to 50% on India, and even threatened to impose more. China fully opposes it," he said. Feihong added that Beijing is ready to work closely with India and other member states to ensure a successful SCO Summit, calling for "a new chapter of dragon-elephant tango."