Government Clarifies: TikTok Ban in India Still Active, No Plans for Return

New Delhi – August, 2025 – In a recent announcement that sought to snuff out growing speculation, the Indian government reaffirmed that the popular social media app TikTok remains firmly banned in the country. Rising rumours about the app’s revival were branded “false and misleading” by senior government officials. Amid swirling confusion over partial online accessibility, a clear message was delivered: TikTok’s return is not on the agenda. The Times of IndiaThe Economic Times

False Buzz, Real Confusion

The chatter began earlier this week when some users reported being able to access TikTok’s website without using a VPN—a rare occurrence. Headlines and social media posts fueled excitement, speculating on whether the ban had quietly been lifted. But government sources were quick to shut down those rumours. “The Government of India has not issued any unblocking order for TikTok. Any such statement or news is false and misleading,” said officials, as relayed by ANI.

NDTV added clarity to the situation, noting that while the site’s homepage may have loaded for a few users, critical functionalities—logging in, uploading content, and viewing videos—remained inaccessible. The app itself is conspicuously absent from both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store in India. www.ndtv.com

App Reaffirmation from TikTok and TechCrunch

TikTok, too, weighed in through a spokesperson who confirmed compliance with Indian regulations. The company stated it has not restored access and continues to abide by the government’s directive. TechCrunch referenced a senior IT Ministry official, speaking under condition of anonymity, who confirmed that the ban was still in place and no steps have been taken to reverse it. TechCrunchThe Indian Express

AliExpress Glitch Adds to the Drama

Adding to the confusion, users also reported that the website of AliExpress, another platform banned in 2020, had become accessible—again sparking speculation of a policy shift. However, government sources emphasized that accessibility of a website does not equate to lifting a ban. The AliExpress app remains unavailable, reinforcing the idea that these anomalies are technical in nature, not indicative of policy relaxation. The Times of IndiaBMIThe Logical Indian

Political Echoes and Suspicion

The Congress party seized the moment to criticize the government, accusing it of warming up to China. They likened the partial online reappearances of TikTok and AliExpress to a symbolic “ceasefire” with China, raising concerns about national security loosening. The Times of India

Why the Ban?

India’s move to ban TikTok came in June 2020, in response to border clashes with China at Galwan Valley. Authorities cited risks to national sovereignty, security, and citizen data privacy. TikTok, AliExpress, Shein, and a host of others were blacklisted, with the government pointing to concerns about user data being transmitted to servers outside India.

What’s Really Happening?

Based on TechCrunch’s reporting, the brief accessibility of TikTok’s site appears to stem from a technical misconfiguration at the network level—similar to an incident in September 2022, when some internet service providers inadvertently lifted access due to a glitch while applying updates. TechCrunch

Diplomatic Balance, Policy Clarity

This situation unfolds against a backdrop of gradually improving India–China relations. The governments have recently resumed cooperation in areas like border trade, visa facilitation, and even direct flight connectivity. Still, officials stress that political thaw doesn’t mean app bans are off the table. The TikTok ban, they affirm, is still firmly in place. The Times of IndiamintThe Logical IndianVARINDIA

At a Glance

Despite momentary stirrings of hope from users, the fact remains unchanged: TikTok is still banned in India, and reports suggesting otherwise are nothing more than a mirage.