India’s IT ministry was tipped to impose permanent bans on 59 Chinese apps, including TikTok and WeChat, after advising the suppliers it wasn’t satisfied with their responses following initial blocks in 2020, LiveMint reported.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology notified the app companies last week of the decision after it first gave them an opportunity to explain their position on addressing privacy and security concerns when issuing show-cause notices in 2020, the news outlet stated.

The government banned hundreds of Chinese apps since late June 2020, citing data privacy and state sovereignty concerns.

Its latest move comes as tensions between the two countries escalates, with continued conflict at the border region in northern India.

A TikTok representative told LiveMint it is evaluating the notice, adding: “We continually strive to comply with local laws and regulations and do our best to address any concerns the government may have”.