43 More Mobile Apps banned by India

Recently, the government of India has blocked 43 new mobile apps, mostly Chinese, in the country, including the shopping website AliExpress. This is in addition to a total of 177 Chinese apps banned till now.

Key Points

• The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology banned these mobile apps under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act (IT Act), 2000.
• Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, was introduced by an amendment to the Act in 2008.
• What is in the Act? It gives the Central government the power to block public access to any information online whether on websites or mobile apps.
• Under Section 69A, if a website threatens India’s defence, its sovereignty and integrity, friendly relations with foreign countries and public order, the government can ban it, after following due procedure.

What are the reasons behind banning apps?

• The action was taken based on the inputs regarding these apps for engaging in activities which are prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India, defence of India, security of the state and public order.
• The government has received many complaints from various sources about the misuse of some mobile apps available on Android and iOS platforms for stealing and transmitting users’ data in an unauthorized manner to servers which have locations outside India.
• Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Center, Ministry of Home Affairs also gave a comprehensive report against the misuse of the apps.

What is the impact of the Ban?

• The decision to ban these apps, which comes amid continuing tensions between India and China, is a clear message from India that it will no longer be a victim of China’s Nibble and Negotiate policy and will review the norms of engagement.
• The ban may affect one of China’s most ambitious goals, namely to become the digital superpower of the 21st century.
• It will provide a good opportunity for Indian entrepreneurs to quickly rise to fill market gaps.
• This is also great for the Atmanirbhar Bharat mission.
• After the initial ban of apps, the government launched 'Digital India Atmanirbhar Bharat Innovate Challenge' to encourage Indian application developers and innovators and facilitate their ideas and products.

Conclusion

The next source of economic growth lies in the digital economy. India must speed up indigenisation, research and development and frame- up a regulatory architecture to claim data sovereignty.

Afghanistan - India Relations

Recently, at the Afghanistan 2020 Conference, India announced about 150 projects worth USD 80 million. Also, the USA has decided to reduce its troop presence in Afghanistan to about 2,500 by January 2021.

India - Afghanistan relations:

• India will launch phase IV of high-impact community development projects, which include around 150 projects worth USD 80 million. It has signed an agreement for building the Shahtoot dam, which would provide safe drinking water to 2 million residents of Kabul city.
• It builds on the 202 km Pul-e-Khumri transmission line of 2009, through which India provides power to the city.

India - Afghan relations:

India’s development programmes in Afghanistan are focused on 5 pillars:

1. Large infrastructure projects.
2. Human resource development and capacity building.
3. Humanitarian assistance.
4. High-impact community development projects.
5. Enhancing trade and investment through air and land connectivity.

Since 2001, India has committed USD 3 billion towards rebuilding and reconstruction of Afghanistan. During the Taliban years from 1996 to 2001, India did not invest in Afghanistan.

Chabahar Port in Iran, which provides alternate connectivity to Afghanistan.

• Afghanistan’s growth has been constrained by its landlocked geography and Pakistan blocking transit access made the situation even worse.

Pandemic Support

• India sent more than 20 tonnes of medicines, and other equipment and transported 75,000 tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan to address the Covid-19 challenge.

Shift in Indian Perspective:

• The Indian government’s decision to invest in Afghanistan’s future, where the Taliban is set to play a dominant role, is being seen as a major departure from the past.
• India also participated in the commencement ceremony of the intra-Afghan talks in Doha in September 2020, where a 21- member Taliban team was also present. It reflects India's realisation of ground realities and shifting sands in Kabul’s power structure.

Reduction of Troops by the USA:

• In February 2020, the USA and the Tabilan signed an agreement in Doha, (Qatar’s capital).
• According to it, the USA would withdraw all of its troops from Afghanistan in 14 months and would also release Taliban prisoners, held captive by the Afghan government.
• In return, the Taliban assured that they would not allow transnational jihadist organisations such as al-Qaeda and the Islamic State to use Afghanistan as their base and also committed to starting direct talks with the Afghan government, which began in September 2020.
• With the USA leaving at such a crucial point, it not only deprives Afghan forces of the support they need, particularly the airpower but also affects their morale.
• The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has committed to funding Afghan troops for four more years.
• However, this decision will leave Afghanistan with an uncertain future as the Taliban is expected to take over after the troops’ withdrawal.
• The Taliban, who were ousted from power in 2001 after the USA invasion, have since been fighting both foreign troops and the Afghan government.
• It now controls more than half of the country and contests the whole of it. Since the agreement was signed, the Taliban have conducted more than 13,000 attacks nationwide.
• According to a UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UMAMA) report in October 2020, nearly 6,000 Afghan civilians were killed in the first nine months of the year and 45% of the deaths were by the Taliban.

Conclusion

• The increasing level of violence in Afghanistan is a pressing concern. India calls for an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire and also believes that the peace process must be Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled.
• India looks forward to walking hand in hand with the people of Afghanistan and the world community to work towards a peaceful, prosperous, sovereign, democratic and united Afghanistan.