Google and Apple asked to remove China’s TikTok in India: Report
India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has reportedly asked for the removal of China's video and live-streaming app TikTok, with the Economic Times claiming the government asked Apple and Google to remove it from their respective app stores.
Citing people familiar with the matter, the report said MeitY's order will stop further downloads of the application, but those already possessing the app will be able to continue using it on their device.
The move follows the Indian Supreme Court on Monday refusing to stay an earlier order by the Madras High Court to ban the app. It is expected the matter will be heard by the Madras High Court on April 22.
As the Economic Times explained, the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court passed an order earlier this month directing the government to prohibit TikTok from being downloaded in India. It also restricted media companies from telecasting any videos that are made using the application.
The ban follows reports that China's Foxconn is expanding its manufacturing operations in India. Foxconn is Apple's largest and most well-known assembler and iPhone manufacturer.
According to the South China Morning Post, Foxconn will start mass producing Apple products in India this year.
The report also said that Foxconn's 69-year-old founder and chairman Terry Gou Tai-ming will decrease his workload during the day-to-day operations, hoping to pass down his 45 years of experience to younger management.
It was detailed in November that Foxconn was planning to cut operational costs by 20 billion yuan ($2.9 billion) following a "very difficult and competitive year".
At the time, it was said roughly 10% of non-technical staff would be eliminated from the payroll in 2019. The reduction of expenses in the iPhone manufacturing sector to the tune of six billion yuan, roughly a third of Foxconn's current expenditure in the business, was also flagged in an internal memo.
It was also revealed in January that Foxconn had shed around 50,000 contract jobs since October.
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